12
◈ Chapter 70 - 11-Leuktra Plain Grand Slalom
*
The two axes of the Northern Allied forces that occupied the center soon rushed towards the remnants of the rebels. Barton thought as he looked at the Plains of Leuktra. It's an overwhelming victory. Despite the disparity in numbers, the Northern Union forces suppressed the rebels with minimal damage. The name of this unremarkable plain that connected the De Jeviet Territory and the Haenlelle Territory will appear in all textbooks dealing with war history in the future. The same goes for Amber Cutter, who became a master in just one giant slalom. It was the moment when Björn's vision matched hers, as he appointed her to his writing staff despite her objections.
"Our left wing has done its job."
Minimal damage. Naturally, not everyone in the Northern Alliance survived. Even if time was gained to engage in a diagonal formation, the left wing of the Northern Allied forces was greatly injured. Because it was not enough to overcome the difference in power. Even though it was an unavoidable sacrifice for victory, Amber noticed them. They must have known that they were in danger. Also, I might die. With what mindset did they follow the command?
Amber shook off her thoughts. The giant slalom is not over yet. The Northern Alliance, already buried in ashes, will not be revived. The only way to appease their vengeful spirits is an overwhelming victory. The Northern Alliance forces moved according to Ember's orders. The flag of the Northern Union Army was pointed in the direction of striking the enemy more clearly, albeit slightly.
"Now all that's left is massacre. If there are any remaining variables on the battlefield..."
"Count Haenrel, who is cornered, has no choice but to use the power of the devil."
Amber nodded her head at Barton's words. The reason why the Demon Cults, who would have been part of the rebel army until now, did not use their power was probably to discredit the cause of the Northern Alliance and avoid friction with the imperial family when they took control of the North. However, since the defeat of the rebels is already within sight, there will no longer be room to hide their ace.
They overcame the power gap and dominated the battlefield with tactics. The giant slalom is clearly a victory for the Northern Allies. But after that, it was unknown territory even for Amber. Even the textbook on demons taught by the Lighthouse of Humanity did not provide information on how to deal with demon cultists. I had no choice but to respond based on my memories of competing once in Stemwind. From what I heard, the demon cultists at that time caused considerable damage to the Human Lighthouse even when they were trapped. Even the petrels were like that, but I had no idea what Count Haenrel would be like.
"It will be soon."
Ember's gaze turned to the battle between Kahniel and Haenrel. Just watching the fierce battle between the two sword masters seemed to improve my skills. Although they were strong men that could not be dared to be surpassed, Ember noticed that Canniel had the upper hand in the battle. Haenrel is older, but Kanniel became a sword master much earlier. Haenrel was behind in mana handling proficiency, so he could not help but struggle. Behind Haenrel, the main force of the Northern Alliance army advanced, crushing the two axes of the rebel army.
"Kill all remnants of the Demon Cult! For the North!"
The central and right northern coalition forces, led by Count Yakhok and Count Sorang, ran to annihilate the remaining rebels. There were no troops protecting the rear of the Sedalia Knights, who had already become remnants, and the Northern Allied Forces sprinted behind them like leopards trying to snatch their prey. The outcome the rebels would face was clear. However, even in desperate moments, Count Haenrel still smiled arrogantly as he looked at Kanniel.
"I will die here, but the will of the cultists will be fulfilled! And the salvation of the Aryan people! Lord Moloch will come and freeze all of you, Rodal! According to his will, I will take one more of your lives! "
The air hung heavy around him. Feeling the sudden chill, Canniel took a short leap and gained some distance from him. A whirlpool formed around him on the plain where the giant slalom took place. She gave up everything and gathered the Mana who could not return to nature from the bodies of the dead who were resting towards Count Haelel. The Northern Allied Forces had no choice but to hesitate due to the suddenly cold air.
"For the first god erased!"
The Sedalia knights who heard Haenrel's cry raised their swords and cut their own throats. There was no hesitation in their actions. Not only the Northern Alliance forces, but even the ordinary rebels who were watching from the side turned white at the fanatic-like appearance. Their blood was sprinkled on the plains, and the magic they had devoted their lives to training flew into Haenrel's arms.
"Witness the power of the erased first god! The plague of death that has come upon you!"
Mana that no one person could contain was sucked into his body. As mana gathered, his body swelled, and his skin turned purple, as if it were necrotic because it could not withstand the stretched body. Sticky blood like pus leaked out through cracks in the skin that could not stand it. Haenrel's blood, which fell to the ground, boiled and spread around as if it contained the resentment of the Aryan people. The Northern Union troops who touched the blood-red atmosphere fell to the ground with foam at the mouth.
"Monster, monster...! Gurgling..."
"Aaaaah! It's the devil! The devil has appeared!"
The demonic follower who had been dismissed as a legend has officially appeared in Stemwind and then in the Plains of Leuktra. The rebels who saw Count Haenrel lost their will to fight when they realized that the person they were following was a true demon cultist, and even the Northern Allied Forces only halted their advance and hesitated at the horror.
Is this what happens in the end? Kanniel pursed his lips bitterly as he looked at Count Haenrel, who had turned ugly.
*
He poured out all his mana and couldn't even move his hand.
Even in the midst of her exhaustion, her appearance caught my eye.
Orange hair that shines as if on fire, a slender body that is somewhere between a girl and a lady, and an ancient pattern of red lines that cover important parts in place of clothes.
Everything was the same as when seen from the place called God's realm.
The only difference was that every time she moved, the world couldn't stand the heat and created a haze.
-Pow! Pop!
Every time Jin punched, the air couldn't hold and was torn apart, like a cannon exploding.
Before she knew it, Antenor's body, which blocked her blow, was on fire.
Although his body was taken away and his anger was transferred to me, even his parts were no less than that of the Great Devil.
Sitting down without the power to even lift a finger, I blankly watched the mythical fight.
The plains burn.
A fire broke out along the ridge as if it would engulf everything.
Even raw grass was just kindling in front of the flames.
Black smoke obscured the view, and the ash that had settled rose again in the rising airflow created by the fire.
It was like a fiery hell.
Looking at that scene, I felt like I could understand why her legend about her was biased towards the bad side, regardless of her true intentions.
"Why did you side with Moloch that day? Answer me!"
Jin pushed Antenor so fiercely that even the flames burning the plains were laughable.
She seemed to have no time to pay attention to her surroundings.
Her body and soul were torn apart by Antenor and she was locked in a cave for a long time that no human could endure, so her anger was unimaginable.
"Cough...! Cough..."
Mion dragged Runea, who was lying far away in the flames.
However, no matter how saintly she was, even I, who had a passion for fire, could not endure the hot heat and the acrid smoke mixed with mana.
Miondo, who lowered Runea to her flames, seemed to have run out of strength and raised her mask, breathing heavily.
There was nothing we could do now.
I just pray that Jin wins.
Antenor fended off Jin's barrage, contorting her face.
The distortion was not because it was difficult to deal with Jin.
What I wanted was the expression of a person with a distorted expression.
Antenor opened his mouth, blocking the explosion with cold.
However, the words that came out of his mouth like cold breath were not the answer Jin wanted so much.
"Why? Why on earth did you hand Hwajeong over to a child like that? Is that child so precious to you that you would risk your life?"
"Just answer what I ask!"
Her fist aimed at Antenor stirred up her black mist.
Antenor's spirit disappeared into the fog.
Soon, the ice sword appeared from Jin's side where there was nothing and drew a trajectory towards Jin.
Jin casually dodged the sword with minimal movement like a graceful ballerina.
Her swaying hair stole her attention.
"My answer is the same as before. You will know everything when everything is over. But can you take your time? With the power of fire that that child has unleashed, the incarnation will only last for a few minutes."
As Antenor said, Jin was currently subject to time constraints.
Jin's incarnation was ultimately an artificial body borrowed from Hwajeong's mana.
When the mana runs out, it eventually disappears.
However, as if it didn't matter to Jean, she pushed Antenor even more aggressively.
"I don't need anything more than this to deal with you, who is no longer a saint!"
As if those words were not false, the flames also moved to Antenor's face.
The chill that protected his body was being broken through by Jin.
Despite the pain of burning flesh, he pointed her sword at Jin as if nothing had happened.
The battle between the half-goddess and the fallen saint continued on the northern plains for a thousand years.
◈ Chapter 71 - 11-Leuktra Plain Grand Slalom
*
Those who follow the devil and are blessed with mana can make a contract with one of the six great devils. And uses some of the power of the great devil with whom he has made a contract. The archdemon that Count Haenrel contracted with was Quarha, the archdemon of plague. A warlock who deals with diseases and corpses. A masked clown who mocked even death and brought fear and despair to mankind during the War of the Gods. Count Haenrel, in her favor, seemed to have lost his will. Saliva flowed endlessly from his mouth, which was open like a person suffering from rabies.
Hehe! Help me! Save me..."
"Kaaaaa! Sa, Sal!"
"Avoid everyone! Don't touch the smoke!"
Purple smoke from Haenrel's blood and breath engulfed the plains. When touched by the smoke, boils burst on the skin of those not wearing mana and their lungs hardened. The more someone lost their life, the bigger the body of Count Haenrel, who took away that mana, grew.
The rebels tried desperately to avoid being touched by the smoke. The Northern Allied forces did not bother to chase and kill those who abandoned their swords and ran away. There was no room for that. Because Count Haenrel, who gave up being a human, was targeting the Northern Alliance. Every time he took a step, the knights screamed, and fear of the transcendent being spread through the ridge.
"Krrrr..."
He seemed to have even forgotten human language and howled like an animal. Kanniel felt pity for the monster devouring the plains. Count Haenrel is already dead. He was weighed down by his lineage and responsibilities as Aryan royalty, and even abandoned his dignity as a human being. Count Haenrel would not have been able to refuse a wish that had been passed down for generations, and unfortunately, it would have had to come to fruition in his turn. His weight must have been very heavy. Canniel could see himself at his end.
"Marquis, no Sir de Jeevitz!"
Ember, who was commanding the Northern Allied Forces on the ridge, suddenly came to Canniel's side. As if she had found a way to destroy it, she explained Haenrel's condition to Kanniel.
"The amount of mana that Count Haenrel has condensed is not something his body can withstand. His body will definitely collapse if it exceeds its limit."
"...There are no such signs."
"No, I'm sure. We are only slowing down the collapse with the mana taken by killing someone. Therefore, if the few strong people who can withstand Count Haenrel's attack deal with him in a time-consuming manner, he will self-destruct."
Ember may have already given the order, but the Northern Alliance forces distanced themselves from Count Haenrel. As she guessed, Count Haenrel's body became noticeably lifeless as there was no life around to take up mana. Indeed, did he maintain his enormous power by relying on circulation from outside? However, even if he knew the law of destruction, he was not an opponent he could easily defeat. To be precise, the strong person Ember was talking about meant someone who could withstand Count Haenrel's blow. If he dies while fighting him, Count Haen Rel will gain strength again. Minimum Sword Expert level or higher. However, there were not even ten such strong men on this plain.
Kahn Niel spoke to Ember as she adjusted her sword.
"I will deal with Count Haenrel alone. The rest should keep their distance and support with swords."
It was Kanniel's role to deal with Count Haenrel in this battlefield. The punishment his son gave him was to fight the most cruelly in the most dangerous place. However, he did not stand on this battlefield just for that reason. Haenrel, just as you ended up becoming a monster in order to fulfill your ancestors' long-cherished wish, it seems I was unable to take off the northern crown that my ancestors had placed on me in the end. Those here are valuable talents who will lead the North and fight against evil in the future. We can no longer create meaningless victims.
"Lord Cutter, I would like to ask for Bjorn."
The former Marquis, Canniel de Jevetz, bowed his head to Ember. This was an unthinkable thing for a commoner. Even without saying what the determination was contained in, Amber knew. She answered by nodding her head. Leaving her request as a will, Khan Niel disappeared into her thick purple smoke.
Amber suddenly remembered the athlete's oath made in the lighthouse village. Even though only three months had passed, it felt like the distant past. What did the lighthouse captain say at that time? I think it was said that some of the humans who lost their homelands founded the Human Lighthouse to slaughter demons. At the time, Ember, who met Kwarha, thought that it was history and that she never wanted to encounter the devil again. The reason she took the test to join the Great Human Race was to escape from the shackles of her social status and take revenge on her.
But, as was her fate, the devil once again revealed himself before her and her humanity. Those beings that cannot and should not be avoided. And Kanniel sacrifices his life to eliminate the monster that has always been by our side, even though we have ignored it. Ember looked at Kanniel's back and realized the fate that the North had borne. This is also the reason why the Lighthouse of Humanity that Bjorn mentioned in Homeland follows the De Jeevitz family.
"Kaaaaak!"
Haenrel, who lost his sword, was not a sword master. She threw away her honed sword skills and, intoxicated by the power given to her by the devil, swung whatever she could. But he didn't mean that his power had weakened. As if swordsmanship was meaningless in the face of overwhelming mana, every time he extended his arm towards Kahniel, a shock wave echoed across the plain. Each time, Kanniel's life was saved by a narrow margin.
At the border between life and death, Kanniel focused on his sword. However, his sword was quite different from when they had sword dance with Count Haenrel when he was still human. He poured all his mana into each sum. It was a thoroughly calculated action. If, as Ember said, Haenrel absorbs the mana of dead opponents and uses it as his own power, then on the other hand, all he has to do is exhaust all his mana before he dies. If he does that, even if he loses his life, his strength will not be taken away. This is why he went out alone. I couldn't ask others to join me in this grand suicide.
I will kill you with my own hands, Count Haenrel. Is that the only atonement?
Kanniel was not a cancer lord who was deceived by the devil cultists and destroyed the North, nor was he a traitor who abandoned his own child. He was a brave knight who fought for humanity against evil.
As the blade cut into Haenrel's necrotic skin, his blood clotted and clogged his wounds. Haenrel tolerated the Sword Master's all-out Aura without a problem. He was generous once or twice. Up to dozens of times, there was no difference from when the injury first occurred. However, once the wound was over 100 years old, recovery slowed down noticeably. The purple smoke that was darkening his surroundings also became lighter.
"Blow your sword energy and help Sir de Jeevitz! Quickly!"
According to Yakhok's orders, the sword expert knights threw swords. The help was weak enough to barely scratch Haenrel's body, but he lost his sense of self and focused on the fact that someone was attacking him. And every time, a gap appeared.
I put the sword in and it hurts. The essence was the same whether it was a dagger wielded by a highwayman on the street or a sword master wrapped around an auror. No matter what you do, you're putting a blade into the other person's body. So I kill the opponent and survive. However, sometimes that iron rule is violated. Most of the time, it's time to sacrifice for someone.
Kanniel squeezed all of his remaining mana and condensed it into the sword. The aura glowed so intensely that it seemed as if it would pour out at any moment.
Canniel knew it too. Haenrel absorbed all the remaining mana from the corpses on the plain, and Kanniel's energy ran out faster than his mana fell. Haenrel does not die from this blow. However, he could cause great damage. The rest will have to be left to the remaining Northern Alliance forces. That was all he could do to risk his life. He felt lucky that Björn was not here. He is already an ugly father, there is no need to see him until the ugly end.
Della, it's late, but I'll come to your side soon.
The sword cut through the purple smoke, leaving long scars on Haenrel's huge body. His hideously swollen intestines stuck out his head through the cracked flesh. However, as expected, Haenrel did not die. Haenrel's hand turned into a giant one and grabbed Kanniel's neck. Perhaps because he intended to eat it as is, his jaw parted to make room. Kanniel closed his eyes as he watched the wriggling tongue. Ultimately, this is the end of the article. Dying while fighting on the battlefield. There was no significant difference in the moment of death between the man who was killed by a knight's charge and the man who wiped out hundreds of knights and died standing like a hero. Still, he thought it would be better to end up in the mouth of a monster than to die in bed with all his sins piled up.
However, Haenrel's plan to eat Kanniel did not come true. This is because the huge sword energy cut off the arm that was holding Kanniel. The place where the black energy passed was hollow enough for a person to enter. Kanniel opened his closed eyes and looked at the owner of the sword. It was a face that no one holding a sword would recognize.
"This is it, Won, that childish person shows self-sacrifice. It's something to live to see in this world."
Landeros Van Hoss, Grand Duke and Sword Saint of the Oxburg Empire. He appeared on the plains of Leuktra like a savior.
◈ Chapter 72 - 11-Leuktra Plain Grand Slalom
Landeros had an annoyed look on his face as he looked at Count Haenrel, who had become powerful after eating the corpses of the plains. With roughly swept white hair and clothes that look like straw. At first glance, his appearance and behavior made him look like an old man from the neighborhood who had just gone for a walk. However, there was no one here who doubted that he was a sword saint. Not only was his face like that, but the sword he used was a product of overwhelming force that was unrivaled by any other weapon. Is there anyone in the world other than the Sword Saint who can cut off the arm of the monster who devoured all the corpses of the plains, the Demon Cult that only scratched the Sword Master and Senior Sword Expert, like cutting pudding?
Putting the toothless sword back into its scabbard, Landeros walked briskly towards Haenrel. To the people around him, the scene looked like it was running across a plain.
"It's a shame. When they were young, they didn't even show their noses. Now that they're old, they're crawling out like grandchildren who need money."
It was a mind-boggling sound, but when Canniel heard the muttering, his face looked dejected. The cause and effect contained in his words was the opposite. Landeros, who is praised as the greatest saint of all time, has been powerful for the past 250 years, so the devil has never dared to appear under enemy lines. It was no coincidence that they moved at a time when he was getting older and the Holy Sword was changing hands. Whether he knew this or not, he came to Canniel's side and muttered in a voice full of dissatisfaction.
"I'm still a saint, so if you guys show up like that, I'm going to have to hit my head. My back is already aching, so why didn't I have an accident after I retired? Then I wouldn't have to look at such dirty things at this age. "
Landeros looked at Count Haenrel. There was a moment of sympathy on his face. When he was young, he didn't talk much, but he was a very kind kid. I never thought it would end like this. He watched the growth of those who were children for quite a few years. Likewise, in the words of those children. Among them, the end that Count Haenrel faced was the lowest.
"Kanniel, you did your best to fulfill your role. The Lord will be pleased."
By defeating Kanniel on the battlefield, which is a euphemism, Landeros stood in the middle of the battlefield on the Leuktra Plains. Officially, he never once showed off his force on the battlefield. The saint was one who did not get involved unless it was related to the devil. He was the first to be involved in a battle in the history of the Oxburg Empire by Count Haenrel.
With drool dripping down his cleft chin, Haen Rel glared at Landeroth. Having become a monster, he felt nothing but the burning thirst in his throat. And he was upset that he was disturbed by someone who suddenly appeared. His blood vessels sprouted from his severed arm like tree roots and joined the pieces rolling on the ground.
"Cooooo!"
Howl, swing his fists, and kill his prey to satisfy his hunger. The young sympathy in Landeros' eyes disappeared, and his expression became dark. His words resonated tingly throughout the plains.
"Count Bermond Haenrel. You who betrayed humanity, sided with the devil, and devastated the empire. The original sin lies with the devil who tempted you, but your sin of falling for that temptation and drinking the blood of countless people is also not light. Therefore, your sin is not light. "On behalf of my will, the lowly saint, Landeros Van Hos, pronounces repentance upon you."
His sword was still in its scabbard, and Haen Rel's attack was right under his nose. However, it was Haenrel's arm that was cut off once again. Even the knights who were watching the scene from close range could not understand what had happened. Lander Ross never swung his sword. Nevertheless, Haenrel's body slowly began to be torn apart.
"Kraaaaa!!"
Screaming almost like a scream, Haen Rel attempted to crush Landoroth, but his body was cut beyond recognition before he could reach Landoroth. Creep, crease... The sound of flesh being cut into pieces was heavier than the roar of an animal. Only then did the knights recall a passage from an old legend. It is said that those who have surpassed the Sword Master level can create an Aura without relying on the sword. The aurors that surpassed the limits of material were much more powerful and more threatening than those created by those who leaned on the sword. It was a level that would be more than enough to count on one finger those who have reached it throughout human history. People who saw it unanimously called it an intangible sword.
"Lord, please embrace the little lamb that was weak and had to wander."
Haenrel's body, which did not even contain a blade, was minced like minced meat by an invisible Auror. There was not a single twitching blood vessel left in him, not a shred of muscle left to twitch. Some even questioned whether the Sword Saint was actually that strong. It is true that he is strong, but is there really that much of a difference from a sword master level? That's because, faithful to his mission as a saint, Landeros did not intervene in human affairs, and thus he has never officially proven his power. Some of the Northern Allied forces also had similar thoughts. However, they were in awe when they saw Landeros turn his back and slaughter the monster that had sucked all the life out of the plains. This is something that anyone who becomes a knight would dream of at least once. A destination that everyone wants but no one can reach. Even though he had held a sword all his life, it was an art that he could not understand even by looking at it, and the Northern Allied forces had a distant sense that they had just won the Great Battle of the Plains of Leuctra with Count Haenrell dying.
However, Landeros, the object of awe, had an impatient face, as if he was being chased by something. From the time he dealt with Haenrel, his eyes were fixed on the ridge beyond. As if the real battlefield was over there.
"I'll leave the rest to you. I have to go rescue her daughter."
After finishing his errand, Landeros crossed the ridge without looking back. Before he knew it, his spirit disappeared into a blur of hell, where flames were rising as if they were about to devour the world.
*
Jin and Antenor engaged in a bloody battle that threatened to take all life on the plains.
The battle in that myth was clearly so beautiful that each and every movement captured my attention.
But at the same time, the alien sensations that were dormant inside him gradually emerged.
For example, there is a gap between the contents of the setting book and the actual history of the continent of Esteria.
In the setting, the demon king Moloch tried to exterminate humanity, and the three gods united to prevent it.
However, in reality, Moloch, who was trapped in an enemy ship and was in danger of death, killed a human in order to struggle to escape the continent of Esteria.
If the Three Gods hadn't pushed Moloch in the first place, there would have been no reason for him to massacre humanity.
Another slogan from the devil cultists.
For the first god who was erased, the words that demonists constantly shout like fanatics imply that Moloch was a god, but was disqualified for some reason.
This could also be confirmed in the name 'War of the Gods'.
In that case, it would be a reasonable inference to assume that Moloch is also one of the gods who descended to lead humanity.
Why did he go to war with another god?
One more thing that bothers me is that Antenor mentioned in passing that saints are beings who remove foreign substances from this world.
According to that, the saint's power does not only apply to demons.
And Antenor actually removed the auror surrounding Runea's sword.
Looking back, the mana that fills this world is the power that comes from the endlessly burning flame.
So does this mean that all gods are foreign objects in this world?
Is the holy sword an arrangement from the god to protect humanity itself from such foreign substances?
There was nothing he could say for certain.
But one thing is certain: Jin is hiding something from me.
Antenor knows that, and that's probably why he betrayed.
Is it.
I could roughly guess why Antenor wanted to tear me to death so much.
Antenor joined forces with Moloch to seal Jin.
I thought the reason was because Jin was too strong to kill.
However, if the saint's power was as he said, there was no reason to seal Jin and leave behind a ghost.
Just kill it.
Therefore, Antenor had no intention of killing Jin from the beginning.
Perhaps the reason he sealed Jin was so that he could be released again when the right time came in the future.
But he must have been very angry because I messed up that period.
In addition, I also embraced Hwajeong, which can be said to be the source of Jin's power, so I don't know what the plan was, but even if it went wrong, it would definitely go wrong.
That's why he wanted to kill me and return Hwajeong to Jin.
It wouldn't be a problem to seal the half goddess again anyway.
If so, I'm in a much more troublesome situation than I expected.
Because it means that in some situations, I become a bigger target than Jin.
Fuck, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have entered that mine at that time.
I was a fool for thinking it was a scam.
Because of this anger, I almost lost to Qwarha, the demon cultists got involved, and now even the corrupted saint rolled his eyes and said he was willing to put a knife in my throat, but he never used it when I actually needed it.
What the lives of people who received God's attention were all told about in ancient constellations and Greek and Roman mythology, but I overlooked it.
As a result, I'm panting like this, enduring the pain of squeezing my dantian in the plains.
"...An uninvited guest has arrived."
Antenor said as he distanced himself from Jin.
So much mana that I could feel it was rushing towards me from the plain.
The only time a knight sheds mana is usually when he is threatening someone.
And as far as I know, there was only one person who could throw this much mana on the floor just to make a threat.
You barely escaped being late, old man.
I almost ran into you with your daughter.
I shouted at Antenor, suppressing the urge to ask him what on earth he was doing here.
"Where's the devil who asked me out on a date? You're not planning on just standing up and running away, right? You should at least pet me! I'm not even hurt, you fucking idiot!"
Price escort.
It was a way to easily screw up an opponent, regardless of time and place.
◈ Chapter 73 - 11-Leuktra Plain Grand Slalom
Antenor's face distorted when he heard my provocation.
However, no matter how great the devil he was, his situation was not easy enough for him to respond to my provocation.
Even if the Holy Sword was handed over, the Sword Saint was still the Sword Saint.
In the original work, Landeros became friends with Bjern de Jeevitz, an adulterous man who was at the level of the Great Devil, even though he was older than he is now.
This was an achievement he achieved by fighting the demon army almost single-handedly while being stabbed in the back by Count Haenrel.
Antenor, who was fighting to the death with Jin, did not have the strength to deal with the Sword Saint at the same time.
There is some time left before Jin's physical body disappears, and Geomseong will soon arrive here.
There was nothing he could do but die here, meaningless, or run away with his tail.
My provocation was an act that led him to a meaningless death.
"The plan to devour the North failed, and the bold ambition of killing me failed to be kept. Antenor, it is your defeat."
In the original, Antenor used the wounds of the Aryans to take control of the North, kidnapped the eldest son of his marquis and turned him into an Archdemon, and laid a red carpet for Moloch to walk on with the blood of mankind in the Devil's South.
But all his plans were in vain.
The North, which should have originally been divided and destroyed by his plot, escaped from that future and merged into one, and Count Haenrel's betrayal will be known throughout the empire and sound the alarm.
Humanity's counterattack against the devil has begun.
"Björn, you bastard!"
He gave a short shout and glared at me.
The anger in his eyes was as hot as Jin's flames.
Yes, it's me.
I used the saint to thwart your grand plan that had been in preparation for hundreds of years.
Jin's seal was released.
We will continue to gather those who will fight against the devil and stop you.
I will crush your grand dream of devouring the continent.
I raised my trembling body using my sword as support.
And as the commander of the Human Lighthouse that protects the North, he issued an order to banish uninvited guests who came to this land.
"Go away, fallen saint. This is not your place."
Geomseong is approaching.
The surrounding mana fluctuated as if a huge storm had struck.
The rising flames and smoke were greatly shaken by the strong wind blowing from the direction from which he was coming.
Antenor, who widened the distance between Jin and his sword, spoke to me.
"I will definitely kill you, Bjorn. Look forward to seeing you again."
"Promises from losers are always sweet."
His spirit disappeared into black smoke.
Jin seemed to have no intention of letting him go, so he rushed at him until the very end, asking where he could run, but in the end he was unable to reach him.
As I looked at the Sword Saint who arrived soon after, I barely let go of the consciousness I was holding on to.
*
At the edge of the plain, where the vegetation was burning, a man covered with a cloak was sitting cross-legged in his lotus position. His physique was smaller than that of an average man, and the hands that protruded from the clock were wrinkled. However, the glow in his eyes seen through the shadow of the cloak hood gave the viewer chills. The old man clicked his tongue as if he was dissatisfied with something.
"Well, didn't I say I would help? What kind of obscenity is this?"
As he began to speak, black smoke rose around him, and as his mother rang out her vocal cords, a blond man appeared beside him. There was an acrid smell coming from his smoke-covered body. Pieces of skin fell off like dead skin cells from the burned skin. Antenor shot the old man in lotus position.
"How can I trust devils like you, Homun?"
Calamity, known as Homun and the Great Demon of Darkness, scoffed at the words of the fallen saint.
"Then why didn't we do it right from the beginning? You put a dent in our grand plan."
"How dare you arrogantly hold me accountable?"
"That can't be true. Honestly, the North isn't that important."
Homun waved his arms and expressed his denial. He shifted his lotus position and stood up. He continued, putting his hands under his robes and crossing his arms.
"But I don't understand. Why did they all survive? Even if it was difficult to reseal Jin, the saint's head should have been cut off at the very least."
"They saved my life..."
White breath came out of Antenor's mouth along with the words.
"You never faced me in the war of gods."
"...That's right. My specialty wasn't something useful on the battlefield."
"You know nothing. The most dangerous person among them was that saint."
Antenor looked at the palm of his left hand, which he had spread out to temporarily shield his eyes from the pure white light of the holy sword. There was a scar there that was worse than the wound inflicted by Jin.
"No matter how strong a saint is, he is still a child."
"If you're really curious, how about using your specialty to attempt an assassination tonight? There will be four archvillains by tomorrow morning."
In response to Antenor's criticism, Homun nodded his head as if he understood.
"I was wondering if you might have made up your mind, so I asked out of anger. Just as you mocked us and made us untrustworthy by calling us the devil, we also don't like saints."
"I made a contract with Moloch, and if the contract is fulfilled, I will fight by your side regardless of your beliefs. So I hope you keep your promise."
"Jin, who has lost his anger, is really easy to kill, right?"
As soon as Jin's name was mentioned, Antenor's sword was aimed at the horde's neck. As if to not dare to put that name out of her dirty mouth. Then, a black fog rose around Antenor's neck, and hidden daggers appeared in the air.
"Don't worry. I may not know about my other brothers and sisters, but at least I follow Moloch's orders without any confusion. If you've seen it for hundreds of years, wouldn't you know that? I followed your wishes to not intervene arbitrarily this time. So, put down the sword. ."
The brief confrontation ended with Homun raising both hands, but there was no sign of servility in his attitude. Rather, it was an attitude that bordered on ridicule, asking why they were so upset about something like this. As if he didn't like that, Antenor was evaporating the sword and was glaring at Homun, ready to cut him down right away. Either way, Homun's criticism continued.
"Still, a mistake is a mistake. How do you plan to make up for the failure of the North?"
"The North is giving up. Instead, I plan to go down to the sluggish Southeast and rally the believers."
Antenor thought of Bjern, whom he had met briefly. He's a kid who thinks he's 15 years old now. He had no idea that such a kid would become his most troublesome enemy. Now, it would have been a waste of time to try to snoop around in the northern part controlled by Vienna again. And Jindo and Bjorn eventually have no choice but to come down to the south. Because their goal is to get their bodies back.
Bjorn, I will definitely meet you again. Destiny will lead you to me. You won't survive then.
"If that's what you mean. Good luck."
A black fog enveloped the two. When the smoke cleared, there was no one left there.
*
Lunea opened her eyes in shock. What he could see was a wooden ceiling. For a moment she tilted her head, not knowing what it was. As her body jolted again and she heard the faint sound of a horse's touring, Runea realized that she was in her carriage.
Runea hurriedly raised her body to her feet. Her last memory was apparently an encounter with the fallen saint Antenor. Suddenly, her sword aura disappeared, and she received a kick from him. I think her body flew, but she had no memory of it after that.
"Are you awake, Rune?"
Lunea turned her head when she heard the familiar voice across from her. The sword saint Landeros was sitting there.
"Well, how was the battle? Saint...?"
"It ended with the victory of the Northern Allied Forces. I brought you out before the post-war process made you crazy. The Saint also remained safely in the North. There is nothing for you to worry about. Gentleman Björn, you are a real deal. If you had been a little more incompetent, the Northern Allies would have been there. "It would have been wiped out."
Hearing Landeroth's words, Lunea let out her sigh of relief. She seemed to be greatly shocked by the fact that her Lunea had almost ruined her work through her own helplessness.
"Captain, I'm sorry. I never thought the Great Devil would show up..."
"It's done. I pushed my daughter into the pit of death through my ignorance. She lived. Isn't that what's more important than anything?"
Runea sat down and asked Landeros.
"Are the affairs of the capital in order?"
"The magic tower lord has failed. I also searched until the end, but with no success. He must have smelled the bad smell in my movements. Even though he acted naturally according to the emperor's orders. I don't know who he is, but he must have a sensitive nose. "
Runea frowned at Landeros' words. The reason she suffered so much in the North was not only to protect her saint, but also to hunt down the evil demonic cult that was hiding the emperor's eyes. While Runea pretended to follow the Emperor's orders, she privately scrutinized those who suggested that the Mage Tower lords would actively intervene in the unrest in Stemwind. Even if he was summarily executed on suspicion of a coup d'état, it was a serious crime. In addition, he even disobeyed the imperial command to bring in a saint. If it had succeeded, there would have been something to say, but since it failed, it was far beyond the line that Lunea could handle alone.
"Your Majesty will be angry at your arbitrary actions."
"Hmph, do you really want to be afraid of the baby's whining? Don't worry, this daddy will take care of everything."
Landeros reassured Runea as if she had no worries. In fact, upon hearing that he would step forward, Lunea's expression brightened noticeably. However, Landeros' face, reflected outside the window, was full of depth. He seemed to understand the Lord's will in the fate he had hoped for, which came only after he was old.
"...Retirement will be postponed."
He looked down at the body clattering like a cart pulled by old leather straps and closed his eyes as if he was tired.
◈ Chapter 74 - 12-the Saint Who Sucks Rags
*
The Northern Allied forces occupied Abamis less than 15 days after the Great Battle of the Leuctra Plain.
The rebels who lost Count Haenrel chose to surrender rather than fight to the death, and the Northern Alliance had no desire to see the blood of those who were not demon cultists.
As the rumor that they would be spared without any conditions spread, the castle lords and administrators who followed the Haenrel family opened the castle gates and bowed their heads, and the Haenrel nobles who were watching were also anxious to push at least one knight into the Northern Alliance.
Only in Abamis, the stronghold city of the Haenrel family, did Count Haenrel's eldest son remain and resist.
However, as soon as they saw the Northern Alliance flag, the gates opened by themselves and the siege ended before it even started.
"Smile, Mrs. Eileen. If you don't want your other hand to ache too. Would the savior who saved the people suffering from the devil have to have such a grim expression to use it?"
I said to Eileen as I waved from the carriage to the crowds that filled the streets of Abamis.
Her green pupils, which symbolize the Aryan people, were unusually moist today.
"...Björn, I have a fault with you, but isn't this too much treatment?"
Anyway, her father died so horribly that her body was unrecognizable, and she had to step on his flesh to prove her innocence.
Because he was a Satanist, he was not even able to have a proper funeral.
In addition, they had to march from Stemwind, located in the center of the north, to Abamis, at the tip of the north, so they must have accumulated a lot of travel fatigue.
But so what?
"Is this too much treatment? That's what your siblings, who are being grilled to perfection and deliciously, would say. Don't you dare complain to me. Before I throw you in the fire pit together."
Approximately 1,200 Northern Union troops and 2,500 security guards forcibly conscripted from the rebels. Thousands of Sedalia knights who kept their knightly oath without knowing anything disappeared into the dew of the battlefield.
Is that all?
If Count Haenrel had not been stopped here, the entire northern continent would have fallen into the hands of the devil.
This is all what your father did to avenge the Aryan race.
The other blood relatives of the Haenrel family were paying for that crime with their blood.
If I hadn't messed around in Stemwind, your blood and Aidan's blood would have been added to the payment.
'Bjorn, Stemwind's lord! You filthy usurper! I will curse you with all the resentment of the Aryan people! For the first god erased! 'Aaaaah!'
The eldest son of the Haenrel family, who was choking and swearing as if he were suffocating from the burning smoke, was still visible.
But Eileen, who on earth do you think you're surviving on?
In addition, they even created an earl who didn't exist before.
Where can you find a half-child who is this filial?
Is this too much in a situation where saying thank you 108 times isn't enough?
It was so unfair that I went crazy and started jumping up and down.
Even if I hear those words, should I just dip into the fire pit for a little while and get out of the fire to make it less unfair?
Eileen pursed her lips as if my feelings were clearly visible on her face.
"Let's have a good day on this good day, Lady Eileen. Do you think I have saved you to enjoy your luxury?"
"..."
I wasn't lying when I said it would be better to die.
Eileen must continue to uncover the misdeeds of the Haenrel family and personally condemn the family members.
She also took on the enormous task of subordinating Haenrell to the De Jeevitz family.
Selling one's family and severing one's family business.
From a noble's point of view, it might be better to hang himself.
But she also understood that if she cared about Aidan, this was the best option for her.
So even if I act like a gangster, they can't say anything.
People who may have been having a heated conversation on the carriage shouted with joy at the birth of a new count.
On a clear day without a single ash falling, colorful paper sculptures filled the sky of the beautiful port city of Abamis.
Now that Count Haenrel is revealed to be a true demon cultist, they too will be desperate.
Rather than being falsely accused and dragged into the fire, it was better to prove one's innocence by wisely welcoming the new count with enthusiasm.
In addition, there was nothing to object to her, including her bloodline of Haen Lel, her justification for saving a family corrupted by the devil religion, and her strong support of the Northern Alliance.
Even if he was dissatisfied, he might have been able to withstand the fierce gaze of the former Marquis, Canniel de Jeevitz.
The commoners of Abamis also sensed the atmosphere and fell flat on their faces, needless to say, the administrators who managed Abamis.
From entering the country to receiving the seat of Count Haenrel, it was a smooth journey.
Thus, with everyone's blessing, the puppet count was born in the family of Haenrel.
Her name was chanted as if Abamis was floating away.
The sweet scent of wine filled the streets, and meat that was difficult to eat was put on the table.
It had been only three days since Eileen marched under the escort of the Northern Union troops.
In this way, the 'Satanic Rebellion', which would have devastated the North, was completely put to rest.
For a while, I was busy organizing the post-mortem.
As promised, I handed over Handar Castle to Count Yakhok and part of the Canorot granary to Count Sorang.
A formal ball game will soon be hosted by the King of the North, Marquis Aidan de Jeviets, in Stemwind, but in the end, I will repeat like a parrot what I said here.
It was a moment when the landscape of the North, which had remained unchanged for hundreds of years, changed significantly.
The Yakhokryeong's economy no longer had to rely on monsters, and the Sorangryeong obtained farmland that could provide a stable supply of food without the help of the De Jeevitz family.
The result will be as satisfying as the sacrifices they made.
Of course, it's not as bad as the De Jeviets family, which swallowed Haenrele territory whole.
In addition, miscellaneous tasks filled the office of the commander of the Human Lightship Corps temporarily set up in Abamis.
I felt like hitting on Amber, but she wasn't up to the task yet.
"Bjorn, has your expression become brighter?"
Helga, a senior knight of the Lighthouse of Humanity who was confronting the Knights of the Holy Cross at Handar Castle, also appeared for the first time in a long time at the new count's birth ceremony.
I held him up causing my expression to brighten.
When Helga saw the glass in my hand, which had been hidden by a mountain of documents, she touched her forehead.
So how do you handle this task with a clear mind?
You're not an adult yet, so consider yourself lucky that you don't mess with a maid under the table.
Because I feel like I want to set up a main forest here in Abamis.
"It's not because of the alcohol. Any knight who survived that hell would have a face like that."
Likewise, when Amber, who was burying her face in a mountain of documents with simple tasks written down, uttered a word, Helga blushed as if she had been stabbed for no reason.
Even in the military, soldiers implicitly ignore each other due to differences in training, but there was no need to talk about actual battles.
Especially if the battle is a famous battle that will go down in history in many ways.
"Why are you so embarrassed? It's better to suck from the back."
"How can following the commander's orders lead to that?"
Helga grunted loudly.
It was an unfortunate incident that occurred because Helga was the only person who could control Handar Castle.
If I had entrusted the castle to some idiot, I would have wasted valuable manpower by getting hit by the Knights of the Holy Cross and the Magic Brigade who were trying to push me.
Fortunately, because Helga herself took the lead, it ended in a confrontation without any fighting.
"There is no need to feel sorry. If you follow me, a battle worse than that will await you."
"That's kind of creepy, because it doesn't seem like a joke at all."
Putting Helga's joke aside, I asked him about the current situation.
"What about the Knights of the Holy Cross?"
"It's still the same. They are just passing the time by setting up a camp. They are planning to push towards Handar Castle at any moment. According to the rumor, Runea will soon come up to take command in person."
The rumor that the Great Evil had appeared in the North and that the Northern Alliance and the Sword Saint had stopped it spread throughout the continent.
Some disparaged the emergence of the Great Evil based on the damage suffered by the Northern Allied Forces, saying it was a lie.
Another person believed that it was true that the Great Devil had appeared, but that the Great Devil ran away due to the strength of the Sword Saint.
The rumor soon became a scandal, and people turned the scandal into noise with their own speculations.
The widespread noise became an alarm across the continent, fearing that a demonic invasion might soon begin.
But May Day is over.
The Emperor will move more actively to absorb the North before the devil's invasion.
Runea was probably dispatched to take control of the north according to his orders.
To make up for the mistakes I made, I will come out even more cruelly.
Perhaps the North will soon go to war with the imperial army she commands.
"What are you going to do? If the imperial family prepares for a real war, we have no choice but to retreat."
"Well..."
I turned my head and looked out the window.
Abamis came into view at a glance from the Haenrel family's main headquarters, located high up in the ground.
As rumored to be the richest place in the North, the scenery here was incredibly beautiful due to the money.
Flying seagulls, blue ceilings and white buildings, beautifully finished cobblestone roads, and even cute boats anchored in the port.
Isn't this the only place on the ash-filled continent of Esteria that can compete with Earth's famous resorts?
Among them, what caught my eye were the three ships of the Human Lighthouse Corps anchored in the port.
It was Ma Beom-seon from Lighthouse Village, who had been called in advance in preparation for a siege.
"I'm thinking about going boating."
"Yes?"
Helga's face froze as if wondering what he was talking about.
While I was laughing at that expression, the door to the office opened loudly.
Who on earth would have the audacity to stomp into the presence of the commander of the Human Lighthouse?
I was already really annoyed, but it caught me off guard.
If it's Barton, you'll have to pay the invoice today.
I raised my eyebrows, lifted my head over the papers, and looked toward the door.
Contrary to expectations, there stood Mion, the protagonist of the biography of Esteria and the saint who would save humanity.
She had a very angry face and was holding the hem of her maid uniform tightly.
There were tears in his eyes for no apparent reason.
"Bjorn, please let me wash a rag!"
◈ Chapter 75 - 12-the Saint Who Sucks Rags
The start of the incident was like this.
A few maids lingered behind Mion, who was walking around the main building of Haenrel House to run errands.
He's the famous Björn de Jevietz's house.
I heard that Bjorn was walking around with that girl on that battlefield too?
If you're going to act like a prostitute, go to a brothel, but don't know why you're working as a maid.
You look young, but I'm already showing off just because you have a smooth face. The intention to buy up a young nobleman and then sell him was very bad.
I cleaned up Björn's room a few days ago, and the bed was covered in blood?
Oh my, is that really true? How extreme would it have been?
Be careful what you say. It seems like I'm doing everything Bjern asks me to do. Who knows, maybe it won't be a mistress but a wife?
Hehe, if I were ten years younger, I would have taken a number ticket.
Ho ho ho, don't be damned, you bitch. Can't you see that whore's face is smooth? You've been doing nothing but mopping and you've been working alone your whole life.
After Mion passed away, they laughed and talked about speculation about what Mion and her young maid might have done.
The problem is that Mion is a sword user-level knight.
He, who had sharper ears than the average person, had to listen to all the obscene remarks made by the dirty maids.
That was the reason why Mion's face was unusually red today.
"This is entirely your fault, Bjorn."
Amber giggled as if she saw something interesting and turned her arrow at me.
I protested with a puzzled expression on my face.
"This was something that everyone agreed to, right? Why don't you continue to criticize the extraordinary plan that even the Sword Master approved?"
"It's not the cross-dressing itself that's the problem, but you're treating Mion like a prostitute, aren't you?"
"When did I?"
As soon as she heard me, Amber pointed out the object in Mion's hand.
"What is in Mion's hand? Isn't it alcohol? Wouldn't anyone think that if you asked a young maid to serve you alcohol all day and night?"
"..."
I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut due to Amber's valid point.
Come to think of it, this is not Stemwind.
Only there, Mion stamped her face after her maid, Jang, so her backstory was not revealed, but in Abamis, it was enough to cause misunderstanding.
The girl who came from Stem Wind to be the exclusive maid didn't do any maid work and only stayed next to her to run errands for drinks, so it was natural that she didn't sound good.
Moreover, since they have no reason to look favorably on the eldest son of the De Jeevitz family, it seems that the scandal has grown to the point where only lukewarm ears can hear it.
"The blood stains on the blanket that the Bonamana maid said she saw were traces of spilled wine while drinking wine at night. Thanks to Bjorn's alcoholism, Mion became a beautiful and ambitious person who bewitched a noble master. At a time like this, are you saying she is a state of affairs?"
"...Yes, everything you said is correct."
This time, I had no choice but to surrender with both hands and feet.
I couldn't worry about it because things in the North were finished and the tension was relieved.
It's entirely my fault.
"I didn't say it out loud, but Bjorn lacks consideration. Is the scandal only for Mion? I also heard that he took over the power of the Human Lighthouse for a while. Similar comments were probably made here as well."
When I looked at Mion as if to ask if that was true, he slowly turned his head and changed my doubt into certainty.
[What, when did you set up Jujiyukrim without my knowledge? I haven't even found my body yet, already? This is a violation of contract.]
The red-haired doll sitting on the table laughed at me.
As Jin said, in the rumors, I seem to be enjoying a fantasy life where my dick never goes dry, happily fucking with a gorgeous maid and a beautiful operational staff member.
I'm so fucking jealous of that.
In real life, I am not only busy with work, but I also secretly drink alcohol.
The situation of the commander of the Lighthouse of Humanity and the de facto master of the North made no sense.
"But why am I hearing this for the first time? You should have reported it to me in advance."
I pointed out Amber's mistake.
It's possible that the maids are talking freely, but sexual harassment of superiors in the military is a different matter.
If you make a mistake, military discipline could become lax.
"Don't worry. I took care of everything. Instead, I used that rumor to take over the Allied Forces. Are you curious about how I did it?"
"...No. I guess you did a good job."
Feeling an eerie feeling, I took a step back from Amber.
Let us pray for peace to the knights who went through hell for using their tongues incorrectly.
Huh, he cleared his throat somewhat harshly and returned to the main topic.
"So, Mion, you're asking me to work as a maid to clear up the misunderstanding that you're a night attendant?"
"That's what I'm saying! Serving as a night attendant for Master Bjorn! Even dressing as a woman is shameful, but I can understand it. I know that this has saved countless people, but I can't bear the scandal of serving as a night attendant! I am a maid just like everyone else. "I want to take charge of the work and resolve that misunderstanding."
Mion's declaration that she would volunteer to become a maid gave me a headache.
"Mion, you are a saint. The maid is just a disguise. In case you forgot, the people here are also on the mission of protecting you. If you move around, our work increases."
I said as if to show off, banging on the papers piled so high that the desk collapsed.
Mion, please don't make me do more work.
But the lukewarm temperature was cold.
He spoke to me with the same expression he often showed to Runea.
"No one protected me while I was serving drinks."
"..."
"Also, haven't I sufficiently reduced the burden of escort duties just by disguising myself as a maid? I think I'm doing my duty."
Even in the Esteria biography, Mion was always this sturdy in dramatic moments.
Even at the moment when her holy sword was almost taken away, when he first met Count Haenrel, and even when the emperor made unreasonable demands, he confidently stated his beliefs.
At times like that, no one on the continent dared criticize the saint's words.
It was the same for me too.
There was no way to break Mion's resolve.
Although she said she would be reborn as a true maid, I wondered if there was a need for her to be so assertive.
If that's the saint's will, then we should respect it.
"Then, begin your duties as my personal maid. I guess you can start by doing the laundry I piled up yesterday."
"Thank you, Bjorn!"
What was so exciting was that Mion even hummed a song and began to tidy up her laundry.
Amber whispered to me.
"Is it okay if I don't tell you? Anyway..."
"Shh, you'll know when you experience it yourself."
She didn't need to tell me what was going to happen.
I like it like that, but it's better to just let it enjoy it for now.
Mion was the perfect maid with a basket full of laundry.
Except she's so beautiful that I look like I could roll up some of her and eat them.
He said as he opened the door with her shoulder and left.
"Then I'll go to Silgaecheon to do laundry and come back. I hope everyone works hard today!"
Beyond Mion's bright, bright smile, I could see her innocent, childish thought that if she carried her laundry out, the other maids' opinions of her would change.
But Mion, things in this world are not so easy.
I poured the alcohol in my glass in one go and put on my cloak.
"I'm going to have to work outside today too. It's been a while since I thought I'd get some fresh air."
"Suddenly? What happened?"
Instead of answering Amber's question, I handed her some documents.
The document contained a list of missing persons from the recent disappearance incident in Abamis, as well as the Sangsan Province where Count Haenrel died and went missing.
After briefly scanning the documents, Amber tilted her head and asked me.
"Are you planning on handling this yourself?"
"Yes, I've been working on paperwork for the past few days and I'm feeling tired. And this guy smells kind of stinky. This guy is probably a slave trader who provided slaves to Count Haenrel."
I pointed to the face of the top seller drawn on the document.
The great evil that Count Haenrel follows is Quarha the Plague.
Her power comes from her corpse.
Therefore, Count Haenrel may have improved his own military power through his human sacrifice.
In fact, traces of it were found somewhere in Haenrel Castle.
The missing merchant would have originally kidnapped suitable people and presented them to Count Haenrell to avoid any repercussions.
In return, he must have accumulated considerable wealth.
But times have changed.
Count Haenrel was killed and Avamis fell into the hands of the Northern Alliance.
If caught, they are deliciously cooked in a fire pit.
I was in a situation where I had no choice but to run away.
"This guy must be desperate to survive. If he gets caught, he will be burned at the stake. He must be hiding in his hideout, thinking about how to make a fortune and send him out to the central region. If he happens to see a beautiful woman who will easily receive a fortune, and is leisurely doing her laundry, I can't give up on her. "Aren't you going to start thinking about kidnapping me?"
In short, capturing a slave trader and punishing him is an everyday part.
Amber immediately realized what was going on and glared at me with a bored look on her face.
"...Are you really planning on using Mion as bait?"
"I don't intend to use it as bait, but I ended up becoming bait myself?"
Let's get it straight.
It was obvious that she would be kidnapped anyway, so I anticipated this and saved Mion.
Isn't this an altruistic act with nothing but good intentions from beginning to end?
Criticizing it as bait is taking it too far.
When I started the clock, Helga tilted her head and asked.
"Wait a minute. If Bjorn goes out to work outside, who will do the work of the Human Lighthouse?"
"Oh, that's a good point. Senior Engineer Helga, since I'm here, please take care of today's work for me!"
I hurriedly ran out of the office before Helga could catch me.
An unknown shout from Helga was heard from the closed door of the office.
Amber, who was quick to notice, followed behind me.
"What, why are you following me? Weren't you annoyed?"
"Now that I think about it, isn't Mion in danger? I think she needs my help."
I looked at Amber with cold, salty eyes.
You really didn't want to work either.
◈ Chapter 76 - 12-the Saint Who Sucks Rags
*
"Master Viern, these are the last documents for today... What, where has everyone gone?"
Barton, who entered the office after filling the cart used by the maid to transport the car with documents, tilted his head.
This is because Helga Sentel was sitting where Björn should have been sitting.
"The commander, of course, went out on urgent business."
There was a sound of teeth chattering.
Barton looked at Helga's face and instinctively shrank his neck.
Looking at the situation, it seems that Bjern handed over the job to Helga and ran away.
She came at a bad time with a bunch of documents, so it was hard to hear good things about her.
He recalled the evaluation of Helga within the Human Lighthouse Corps.
As a lieutenant serving the commander of the Lighthouse of Humanity, he managed the knights with overwhelming power.
However, the combination of his naturally meticulous personality and the damnable remarks he gave to Bjorn made him famous as a mad dog who would destroy the department if he got into trouble.
Basically, if the commander is generous, his lieutenants become ghosts.
There were more than one knight who broke down and wet his pillow with tears.
Barton had no desire to join that procession of tears.
"Then I'll just leave..."
"Wait a minute. Where are you going now?"
Helga, a senior knight in terms of power, was on the same level as the commander's immediate staff.
Thanks to his meteoric rise to prominence, Barton also took up an important position as an adjutant to the staff, and although he was not intimidated anywhere in the power hierarchy of mankind or other great powers, he was of no use in front of Helga.
At Helga's call, Barton unconsciously turned back in time.
"Aren't you the deputy to the operational staff? Shouldn't you be in charge of the mission when the operational staff is away? Don't you feel the need to lend a hand when you're already busy dealing with the post-war situation?"
"Well, according to the new command order, adjutants can replace commanders..."
"Then what about me? The fact that the commander entrusted the job to me, his adjutant, doesn't mean that I should respond flexibly according to the situation. If I'm just going to follow the manual and orders, why do I need you? Let's put the book in its place. Isn't that right?"
Barton felt his mind fading away.
His hands were folded politely in front of him.
Anyway, Helga continued to nag me saying that you had a good day today.
"Then, if the Operational Staff is absent for an unfortunate reason, who will be in charge of establishing the operations of the Human Lighthouse Corps? Since you are a lieutenant, if you can't do that, should the Humanity Lighthouse Corps just shout forward to charge in case of an emergency? Then, you can't help, so why are you calling the Operational Staff? "Are you just wandering around next to me?"
"Off, there's no such thing as a fuss!"
"So you're saying there's something wrong with my eyes? Are you saying that Senior Knight Helga Sentle's eyes are bugging out?"
"Oh, no!"
With Barton standing in front of her, unable to tell whether he had said a single word wrong, Helga's nagging reached its climax and even the minimal expression of respect disappeared.
"Hey! And you're still a knight?! These days, knights have the underlying belief that they can't do anything just because they say something from above. That's because they're lazy! They just twist their bodies because they don't want to do it, if it's not their job or their responsibility, and don't want to do it? Tsk, pledge of loyalty. "What are you doing? I'll fix that rotten way of thinking today."
Barton wanted to ask Helga if she was taking out her anger on me because she didn't want to work with Bjern.
However, my tongue, which used to work well in front of Qwarha, the Great Demon of Plague, was particularly stiff today.
Putting aside his nickname as the knight of wit, Barton quietly sat down in the seat where Amber was sitting without any protest.
The hellish work with Senior Knight Helga has begun.
*
A woman dressed as a maid walked along the beautiful cobblestone streets of Abamis.
Her short golden hair that goes down to her shoulders, her fair skin, which is not as good as that of the Aryan tribe, her well-defined features and slender body, and the freshness of a girl that she sheds without realizing it, were enough to immediately evoke the atmosphere of Abamis, which had been ugly recently.
Whenever the girl caught the eye of someone looking at her, she smiled shyly and bowed briefly.
The men who saw that smile felt like a boy meeting his first love and turned their heads to hide her flushed face.
This was because her girlish smile was so sacred that she did not dare to look at it.
I wanted to put a comment on her, but I couldn't. Her girlish beauty was so beautiful, and the atmosphere she gave off was warm, like that of a saint.
"Can I ask you the way? I heard there is Silgaecheon nearby. Where should I go?"
"Uh, uh, um, if you go over there... I'll come out."
"Thank you!"
The lucky man who spoke to the girl was about to ask if she would guide him, but was horrified by the griffin emblem on her maid's uniform.
She would be punished for messing with a maid from a noble family, but if she was a maid from the Djeev family, the so-called kings of the North, she had better not get involved.
Moreover, it was no exaggeration to say that she was currently at the deepest level of power as she was the maid who would wear that emblem in Abamis.
It was fortunate that her pod was caught and her head wasn't cut off.
Still, her man tasted her as if he couldn't resist.
A beautiful woman makes even the most rational man run wild like a moth to fire.
The girl was exactly like that.
The man will look at the back of the girl who has already left and regret risking her life even once.
The girl, or rather the boy, Mion, seemed nervous despite her bright expression, and started walking slowly.
I would never have imagined that I would not be able to find the way to Silgaecheon and not even start the laundry until well after noon.
She must have been right around the corner when looking down from the Haen Rel family's true home.
"I never thought you'd go around smiling like that... I'll have to warn you when Mion comes back."
Ember, who was cowering on the roof of her nearby mansion, let out a sigh of relief.
She has lived her entire life as a woman. From her perspective, Mion will seem like her child that she gave to her.
I tried to dissuade her by chewing her apple.
"It's counterproductive. If you teach her the customs of women and force her to act like a woman, it will only end up being awkward."
To Mion, her crossdressing is just camouflage.
She knew she looked like a woman, but she didn't care what kind of woman she looked like.
Ironically, her unaffected behavior actually made him more feminine.
Because his nature was bright and considerate of others, and he smiled brightly.
Still, I had no idea it would have this much impact.
Even in the original work, Mion's appearance was well-known.
However, because her body line was originally thin and her appearance was androgynous, she was not the type to immediately grab the attention of others.
Who would have thought that that disadvantage could be replaced by a nuclear bomb-level advantage by dressing as a woman.
Maybe Mion wasn't originally destined to be born a woman?
If it weren't for the red truth that he was a man, I would have flirted with Mion first.
"You've already taken the bait."
Two thug-looking men followed behind Mion, hiding in the shadow of the building.
It appears to be an action group working for a slave trader.
It had been less than three hours since Mion left the Haenrel family home.
"Bjorn, I've been feeling this for a while, but you really seem like a ghost in this way."
Amber expressed her admiration with words that were unclear whether it was praise or ridicule.
She was quite surprised because my expectations, which had been quite unusual for her, turned out to be exactly right.
Jin added to his words.
[This is probably because the thinking circuit is similar to that of a criminal.]
'...'
Why do I have to hear things like that while doing a heroic thing to save Mion?
Let's say he can be a pervert.
It started out as sexual harassment with the intention of insulting Jeong Pan, but these days, there are cases where I just do it because it's fun.
But when did I commit a crime?
Putting my resentment aside, I turned my attention back to Mion.
Mion, who had finally found her home, was concentrating on doing the laundry.
As she watched her with her maid uniform on, showing off her beautiful legs and focusing on removing stubborn stains, she had a very ambiguous feeling.
Mion dressed as a woman was definitely not my ideal type.
However, the scenery shown by her saint was powerful enough to distort even her ideal type.
She is a beautiful girl who is more feminine than a girl, but she is a man!
Only after shouting like that was I finally able to come to my senses.
I could faintly hear her lukewarm humming.
Two gangsters slowly approached behind her.
In one gangster's hand was a sack that could hold a person, and in another gangster's hand was a towel that appeared to be soaked in medicine.
Perhaps because they have done this often, the connection between the two was seamless.
"What is it, you guys?"
Of course, against Mion, her actions didn't even work.
Mion was a sword user level even without her holy sword.
No matter how much an ordinary person hides his footsteps, he cannot fool a superhuman.
The gangster who caught Mion's gaze spoke gibberish as if she was embarrassed.
"Uh, wow! Do you know how to swim?! I'm trying to help someone down there who's drowning!"
"With that sack of artillery?"
"Well, there's no rope around. That's right! I'm going to drag you with this at least!"
I tried to suppress laughter at the gangster's improvisation and made a sound like the air was out of my lungs.
Even if you say something, you have to be sincere.
The gangsters must have been aware of the situation and were sweating and preparing to run away.
However, Mion's reaction was different from expected.
"Oh, really? Where is it? Let me help you!"
"Uh, really?"
"I heard someone fell into the water? Isn't it urgent? We have to go quickly!"
Mion, who believed her thug without a single doubt, was soon intoxicated by her drug, which had been soaked in her towel, and knocked her unconscious.
Even the thugs who committed the crime looked at each other blankly, wondering if this was true.
I stopped fooling around and was preparing to intervene, but when I saw that, I touched my forehead.
"Ember, I definitely need your attention on that one."
◈ Chapter 77 - 12-the Saint Who Sucks Rags