Wooong…!
As the yellow rays flicker, countless demon beasts are abruptly cut and fall.
With the flesh bursting apart, the split demon beasts dirty the underground corridor, and as if they were waiting, new demon beasts rush in.
“…!”
Shaaak!!
Kuwaaak!!
Kuaaaa…
Kirilak…
Boom!
“Hoo… Hoo…”
“Can I help you?”
“…This won’t enlighten you about the unknown facts.”
Srrru…
Through recovery magic, Reina’s state improves.
With each flash of light, the white device attached to Reina’s arm loses its glow.
It seems to be rechargeable, considering the power of Duke Huangyeol.
“Can you help me be enlightened?”
“……”
“Then.”
Wooong!
Once again, opening several spaces, more demon beasts pop out.
Gritting her teeth, Reina unleashes the device and slices through the demon beasts.
She doesn’t seem to be exerting much power, and her physical capabilities appear to be inferior to the subordinate Eight Swords.
Nonetheless, the demon beasts are being dispatched far too easily.
‘Is it because she’s the creator of the demon beasts?’
Surely, if she’s the creator, she would know their weaknesses well.
Being adept at magic, she must have secured necessary safeguards as well.
“Is it fixed?”
─Yeah. It was hard to weave, but it’s basically the same.
Slither…
A slightly different bloodline erupts from the space and pierces the demon beasts.
At first glance, Reina emits beams just like before against the seemingly identical demon beasts’ attacks.
Ting!
The light beam ricochets.
“…!”
“I’ve changed the composition a bit. Of course, it was Lasty, not me.”
“What the…”
BEOOCK!!
A blood-soaked wolf’s front paw slams into Reina, sending her crashing into the wall.
As she stumbles back up from the debris, this time a blood-drenched bear bears down on her, crushing the wreckage under its weight.
Zzgeeeek…!
The bear is split in half.
An overwhelming amount of light bursts from the split corpse of the bear, blindingly bright.
Seeing the device flickering, it seems most of the stored power has been used.
“Hah… Hah… Hah…”
“So, have you been enlightened?”
Or does she still need more demon beasts’ free hugs?
Exhausted, Reina shakes her head and flops down.
Her once pristine white lab coat had turned a shade of red, carrying not a single beam of light.
“What do you think you’ve done…?”
“What have I done?”
“Right now. There must be a lot of spaces… opened up on the surface… The number of spaces you opened is over one hundred…”
Cough. Cough!
“In other words… there are over one hundred spaces… opened up outside as well…”
“Wouldn’t there be?”
I had to open many spaces to face Reina, who cuts demon beasts with remarkable ease.
The capital of the Empire, which resides just above the demon race, must have turned into hell by now.
Reina’s black eyes glare at me.
“Did you say it would? I didn’t know you were that kind of person… Cough. But has everything until now been a lie?”
“Pretending to be nice is useless. I know what the Empire has done.”
“……”
“You didn’t only capture demon beasts, did you?”
The Empire experimented on numerous races including spirits, and among them were ‘humans’.
“Of course, not those who are subjects of the Empire.”
I learned about the history while rummaging through the Magic Lord’s laboratory, and could see the influences of past experiments as Lasty modified the demon beasts.
However, there was nothing directly related to humans within the demon beasts themselves.
Only data that could be derived from the experiments was used.
Therefore, while they weren’t immediately classified as targets for execution, depending on the situation, they could certainly be eliminated.
I approach Reina.
As I draw near, the demon beasts instinctively step aside.
“It’s troublesome if you try to force goodwill on me now.”
“…This isn’t much different from what the data said. Clearly…”
“What does the data say about me?”
“…A being that dislikes killing and loves humans. Values costs but doesn’t commit evil deeds unless a life is threatened…”
“I did cross the line.”
If it were the past Lily Elbrite, once she learned the truth of the experiments, she would be classified as a target for execution from that moment.
“…Aren’t you going to save anyone?”
Reina looks up at me with dim eyes.
The flickering device looks to be cracked, a consequence of exerting all its power.
‘Holy power is a terrible poison, just like magic.’
“Yes.”
“…That’s a lie.”
“It’s the truth.”
“……If it were real, you wouldn’t be moving like this…”
Gathering numerous people to fight against the disaster that threatens the world.
Consistently resurrecting those harmed by the disaster.
After the Empire fails to protect its role and the world is at risk, even retaliating.
“If you don’t care about people, it’s impossible to do these things.”
“……”
“Speak the truth. Lily Elbrite.”
“Rit.”
Reina’s two eyes turn golden.
The power of Duke Huangyeol is distinctly felt from Reina.
Kukung!
A tremor spreads so violently that it reverberates through the underground laboratory.
You arrived just in time.
“…!”
“That’s right. I didn’t just leave everyone to die.”
The Empire must handle its own affairs.
So, the “incident” where a hundred spatial anomalies suddenly open in the underground of the Empire must be resolved solely by the Empire’s power.
“The Eight Swords you’ve summoned will stop the demons attacking the Empire. They will work incredibly hard at it.”
“That’s not enough…!”
“Are there only three Eight Swords?”
“…?”
One of the most crucial figures in the Empire, a duke hastily assigned to the front by Duke Huangyeol.
“The Spirit Lord is blocking them. Therefore, today the Empire’s capital won’t be destroyed.”
“…That’s what Lika said. The Spirit Lord is blocking the south of the Empire. You shouldn’t be here…”
“If I don’t show up, it’s all over. I have to come.”
Before coming to the Empire, I relayed word to the Spirit Lord through Leo.
I said I would come to cause chaos in the Empire, so if my persuasion fails, come and prevent the Empire’s destruction.
Of course, as the duke of the Empire, she tried to dissuade me, but I had already granted her one request.
‘Water Spirit King.’
I sought out both the Corrupted Spirit King Arrowna and the Naiad who inherited the king’s qualifications.
In doing so, I went beyond what she had requested.
The Spirit Lord hesitated a little but ultimately decided to follow my wishes, even at the cost of defying the Empire’s orders.
“She gets to safeguard the justification of protecting the Empire as well.”
Of course, this would leave the Empire’s front line bare, making the south vulnerable…
“So, what about the south?”
“You don’t need to worry about the south. Someone is there to protect it.”
“…? Who are you talking about?”
“A new house owner. Someone trustworthy, so there’s no need to worry.”
Kwak!
The White Guardian brushes past Reina’s neck and plunges deep into the debris.
Gulp.
“So.”
“……”
“You should start talking. Otherwise, you might see the Empire torn not into three parts but into dozens.”
And Reina as well.
Reina’s eyes, on the verge of being torn into dozens, shake violently, and I hear a sigh.
It’s not her sigh.
Crack…!
The device with a crack shatters, and a small golden sphere the size of a fingernail rises.
A small golden sphere the size of a fingernail floats up.
I thought it was strange how well I held up against the demon beast under Lasty’s control, and it turns out she was hiding this.
“…Master?”
Rayna seemed unaware.
—I didn’t expect to roast Arne. Wasn’t it a cooperative relationship?
“It’s not that I roasted him; we simply made a promise.”
If I help her, she agreed to help me in return.
“And you also made a contract with me.”
—…That’s unfortunate. But I hope you understand that the Empire must choose the best path.
“Why didn’t you send Nea?”
—She refused. Since she wouldn’t listen to my orders, I just let her do her job.
“Why did she do that?”
—Because it had to be that way.
“……”
—……
……
—What do you want?
“From the way you’re asking, it seems you know something went wrong.”
—Even if it was the best for the Empire, it’s true that I couldn’t keep the promise. I’ll give you the compensation you want.
“Hmm…”
Once again, Duke Huangyeol has no intention of opposing me.
He’s just poking around trying to gauge my reaction to use me easily.
I guess he’ll offer an appropriate reward this time too and then continue his snake-like schemes while avoiding my gaze.
“Send the Sword Saint back. And let’s catch all the demon beasts again.”
—Sure.
“Yes.”
—…?
“?”
—Is this it?
“Of course.”
The sphere seems flustered.
If Duke Huangyeol knows my character, he must realize this is too easy.
Still, I stopped the conversation without demanding a greater reward.
“You’ve suffered a lot. Asking for more would be shameless.”
—…What did you take?
“What do you mean, ‘take’? I didn’t take anything.”
I just slightly meddled with the capital, urged the Spirit Lord, who usually had many grievances against the Empire, for independence, and distributed land in the southern part of the Empire to users like Yena and Leo.
Of course, that land accounts for about 30% of the Empire.
“Anyway, that’s right.”
—…I’ll take it back.
“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
If you don’t give up now, it won’t just be 30%—it’ll be 90% gone.
The sphere quivers in distress.
“So, why did you do that?”
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