==========
They managed to deal with a large number of Priest-Knights, but the unfavorable situation remained.
The aide, who had blocked the Golden Slash of Aldebaran with an intangible barrier, grimaced uncomfortably.
“What a fearsome attack… I never imagined the Holy Sword would have such power hidden within it…”
He had intentionally caused a Divine Collision by injecting Earth Mother’s divinity into his body draped in the Blessing of the Disaster God. It was a brutal technique only possible for a cold-blooded individual with no shred of compassion.
He did not know the power of the Holy Sword Aldebaran.
What a foolish blunder it was.
If he had known beforehand, he wouldn’t have recklessly invoked the divine descent.
Realizing his ignorance, the aide nodded.
“Looks like you traveled through time for three years or something.”
“What do you mean by that?”
In response to Edanant’s words, the aide asked back.
Edanant answered.
“The leader of the cultists, an apostle of the Disaster God, is simply too ignorant. The same goes for the Priest-Knights who ended up as mush. Who are you really?”
“…”
The aide did not reply.
He only revealed his discomfort with a rigid expression.
Had he hit the nail on the head?
Edanant raised the Holy Sword, showcasing his teeth.
“Even if you reveal your identity, what will change? The battle between the Creator Deity and the Disaster God has always existed.”
“That sounds like asking to be killed.”
“No, we will definitely bring down the Empire and the Holy Kingdom. And we will erase the divinity of the Creator Deity that they worship forever.”
“Nice and simple to understand.”
The aide stated his ambition.
As if to prove it, a massive army surged toward the Central Plaza where the Clock Tower stood.
The rebel forces of the Empire.
Hatred toward the Valtarian Imperial Family echoed loudly.
The morale of the rebels, who broke through the city, was ferocious like a bird of prey. The sight of soldiers brandishing torches and weapons flooding into the Central Plaza made them feel a temporary sense of crisis. The rebels, having breached the Empire’s defensive line, began attacking the Imperial Palace directly.
“But can the puppets manipulated by the apostle of the Disaster God truly defeat the Valtarian Empire?”
“…”
The Valtarian Empire is strong.
The might of the strongest nation to conquer the continent is far from a mere rumor.
They are the victorious nation that destroyed the Demon King’s Army together with the Holy Kingdom in the Racial War. The hastily assembled armies through sorcery and brainwashing could never threaten the Empire’s lifeline.
“Suppress the rebels!”
“The forces of the Red Dragon will not retreat!”
The kin of the Red Dragon launched their counterattack.
As the elite troops defending the Imperial Palace were deployed, the tides of battle shifted dramatically.
The formations of the advancing rebels, which showcased overwhelming disparity, collapsed. As the Empire’s knights charged, a carpet of fresh blood erupted, filling the air with the smell of carnage.
“Ha ha, you’re severely mistaken.”
“What?”
“Did you really expect to rely on mere expendables? They are nothing but sacrificial offerings to the gods.”
“…No way.”
──────!!!!
The ominous feeling that painted their minds soon manifested into reality.
Dark magical energy surged forth.
Mysterious, eerie symbols densely occupied every layer of the Clock Tower.
The cursed magic was activated.
Using the Clock Tower in the Central Plaza as a coordinate, it targeted the surroundings.
It was different from the existing black magic. Unlike black magic that manipulated corpses or used fresh blood as sacrifices, it solely drained the vitality of the dying wounded.
“Now a passage leading to the Chaos Realm will open.”
“…Chaos Realm?”
The name was heard for the first time.
Edanant grimaced at the aide’s declaration.
Chaos Realm.
Such a bizarre name had never been mentioned even once in the story.
Isn’t it a space thoroughly disconnected from the outside world, like the Fairies’ Paradise? The cursed magic, greedily sucking the vitality from countless living beings around, was nearing completion. The blackened passage appeared in the sky.
“Damn that bastard.”
Edanant pulled out his pistol and fired at the elderly man.
However, the magical bullets rebounded off an invisible barrier.
Just like when he had unleashed his Golden Slash, an intangible energy was blocking the attacks one after another.
“It’s a monster!”
“Monsters are coming down from the sky!!”
Screams filled with horror blasted forth.
It was a hellish scene.
Out of the darkness that enveloped the Imperial City, grotesque monsters emerged all at once.
Five monsters, bursting forth.
Armed with sharp metallic bodies, the mutants of the Chaos Realm spewed fire. The enormous beast showcased its size, swinging its sharp claws and heavy tail, sweeping away both the Imperial soldiers and the rebels.
“Damn it, they opened a passage and ran away…!”
The cunningly laughing old man disappeared without a trace.
The Priest-Knights guarding him vanished too.
Edanant’s gaze lingered for a moment on the city turned into hell, before they disappeared without a trace.
They achieved their mission, so was that the end?
He gritted his teeth, determined to find and tear that bastard apart.
‘Where should I start?’
Using the Clock Tower as a summoning coordinate.
The battlefield tangled recklessly with hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
Monsters from the Chaos Realm rampaging as if they would burn down the Imperial City at any moment.
Moreover, the Valtarian forces were in a dispersed state due to the continuous misfortunes. Surely, the cultists would raid the Imperial Palace, which had become somewhat lax in security.
“…”
If he could use the Blessing, it would be possible.
At least he could clear the hellish scene unfolding in the Imperial City in a short time.
There’s a chance his identity might be exposed.
But he had no time to worry about such trivial matters.
With a moment of negligence, hundreds of thousands of lives might vanish. Thinking this, Edanant pressed a fist against his chest, urging himself not to worry about being discovered.
─────!!!!
Just when he was about to activate the Blessing,
A crimson beam radiating intense thermal energy crashed into a monster from the Chaos Realm, bringing it down.
It happened in an instant.
The monster with half-melted head from the searing heat could not even scream as it perished.
Edanant, feeling the pressure of impending doom, lifted his gaze.
Seeing the crimson light illuminating the pitch-black sky, he exhaled in relief.
“Your Highness! Your Highness!!”
As the flames of the Red Dragon dissipated, a beautiful woman appeared. The woman, with luscious golden hair flowing, had undoubtedly descended upon the battlefield—Ludmilla.
She called out in an agitated voice.
But unfortunately, Ludmilla could not hear Edanant’s call, as she was preoccupied with battling the rampaging monsters from the Chaos Realm.
Wielding the Holy Sword that emitted a white radiance like a flashy baton, it was the same.
How on earth,
How could he call her?
After a moment of hesitation, Edanant swallowed his words and shouted again.
“Ludmilla-!!”
With a heart full of uncertainty, he called her name.
It was a critical moment.
He had no choice but to commit a breach of etiquette.
“Did you call for me, Edanant?”
Did she hear his urgent voice amid the sounds of explosions and screams? Ludmilla was enveloped again in crimson light and landed atop the Clock Tower where Edanant stood.
She really heard him.
Feeling flustered by how desperate his heart had become.
Edanant greeted Ludmilla, still dazed.
“The cultists serving the Disaster God are behind this. They manipulated the nobles opposing the Imperial Family as puppets using the Blessing of the Disaster God.”
“…Disaster God.”
Ludmilla’s complexion darkened, hearing the ominous name.
It was a natural reaction.
The Disaster God was a terrifying entity that should never be faced.
“They sacrificed the injured on the battlefield to summon monsters from another world. Those cruel bastards will definitely plot even more terrible deeds.”
“What do you mean?”
“They will attempt to assassinate Your Majesty.”
“…!”
The heinous acts that the vengeful followers of the Disaster God would commit were all too clear.
They would assassinate the Emperor.
The cultists had their sights set on the rulers of the Empire.
If they didn’t return to the Imperial Palace immediately, it would be dangerous. Therefore, Edanant urgently conveyed the danger to Ludmilla, as it could determine the outcome of their moment.
“But dealing with the monsters falling from the sky is also a top priority. If we leave the monsters unattended, unimaginable damage will follow.”
As soon as Ludmilla’s words fell, a shocking variable occurred.
One of the monsters raised its body.
It was the very monster that had been blasted by the crimson beam, its head melted away.
It should have naturally perished from such a fatal wound, yet it immediately recovered. The creature from the Chaos Realm raised its restored head high and breathed fire toward the city.
“But right now….”
“I leave it to you. Protect His Majesty in my stead.”
We cannot save everyone.
It was a situation of choosing between two options.
Right now, innocent sacrifices must be regrettably endured.
Edanant meant to say such cruel words.
But realizing his inner thoughts, Ludmilla averted her gaze, cutting off Edanant’s words.
“…Am I really capable of that?”
“I trust you. More than anyone else in the world, I trust you.”
The pure trust of the Princess pierced through Edanant’s heart like a dagger. He watched Ludmilla’s back with a gaze full of anxiety.
There was not a shred of distrust.
Her voice was as brave and dignified as ever.
He briefly fell silent.
Then he looked up and answered.
“I will obey your command, Your Highness.”
It was indeed an unreasonable order.
But he could not betray the trust of the Princess.
He vowed to himself that he would uphold that faith no matter what happened.
“And, by the way! When we are alone, you may call me by my name… just like you did earlier.”
“…Yes.”
Could she possibly remember?
In such a chaotic situation, he thought she would let it slide.
Feeling a level of embarrassment so intense he wanted to hide in a mouse hole, Edanant saw Ludmilla’s daring permission.
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