Sharia, the leader of the Twilight Church, had visited the Mage Guild of the Free City Alliance before arriving at the Grand Garden’s conference room.
The Mage Guild.
The Mage Guild, known as the ‘Blue Dome’ and located in the heart of Libertas, the capital of the Free City Alliance, was an architectural symbol of democratic ideals.
Unlike other empires or kingdoms that bound mages into Mage Corps or Magic Towers to consolidate magical power, the Free City Alliance was wary of the privatization of magic.
This was due to the fear that a mayor, elected by the citizens, might turn towards an authoritarian path.
Therefore, apart from the army and a small number of mages, they utilized the Mage Guild.
The Mage Guild’s ‘Blue Dome’ was not under the direct management of the Grand Garden, but it had become a group active in lending its strength when the Free City Alliance was in danger.
However, this had the fatal drawback of lacking cohesion, despite its advantage of being democratic.
Even now, Sharia and her subordinate Warlocks entered the Grand Garden’s conference room, yet Mayor Atilane himself couldn’t distinguish friend from foe.
The Twilight Church had attacked the Mage Guild in advance, aiming for this vulnerability.
Sharia, possessing a genius talent for dark magic.
She began to seriously cultivate her talent after meeting Celia and receiving her patronage.
If her talent was merely a sprout before, it could now be called a fully bloomed flower.
Sharia, along with the mages of the Twilight Church, led the Skeleton Knights, who were supported by Celia, and attacked the Mage Guild’s ‘Blue Dome’ at dawn.
This was possible due to the chaos in the entire Free City Alliance caused by the Crusader’s attack and the Monster Wave.
Inside the Blue Dome, high-ranking mages were having a meeting for the city’s defense.
The guild’s magic was by no means weak, but it was torn apart like cobwebs before Sharia’s dark magic.
The Guild Leader’s neck was engulfed in black mist and extinguished, and other mages also fell one by one to the Twilight Church’s surprise attack.
They didn’t even have time to resist.
The Mage Guild was easily swept away before Leader Sharia of the church.
And then, donning the blue robes of the deceased mages, she headed for the Grand Garden.
Now, the Mage Guild that would have helped the Free City Alliance had fallen.
And.
“You have arrived at a good time. I was already wondering how to respond.”
Mayor Atilane, with a broad smile, spread his arms wide.
The need for mages’ support was that desperate.
In fact, from the mayor’s perspective, there was an underlying anxiety that the Mage Guild might ignore them, labeling them as heretics.
Therefore, he couldn’t help but welcome their willingness to help so readily.
And so, he made the worst mistake.
Normally, they should have verified if they were indeed the Mage Guild, but Sharia did not allow for that opportunity.
“First, I will drive away the Wyvern.”
Sharia adopted a more polite demeanor than usual.
She then raised her staff and muttered something.
“……”
To the mayor and councilors, ignorant of magic, Sharia merely appeared to be moving her arms in the air and casting a spell.
In reality, Sharia was not using any magic.
She was just moving her hands in the air.
The words she uttered were also just random ramblings.
However, Necros, riding on the Wyvern’s back, saw Sharia and.
Nod.
He nodded once and began to turn the Wyvern’s head.
The giant Wyvern flapped its wings, soared high into the sky, and disappeared from view beyond the window.
“The mage has defeated the Wyvern!”
Councilor Caleb shouted first. His voice trembled.
Just a few minutes ago, he was in despair, but now a spark of hope began to ignite in his eyes.
“That’s amazing! What kind of magic did you use?”
“Waaahhh!”
Cheers erupted from the councilors.
Some banged on the table, while others clapped their hands.
The heavy atmosphere in the conference room instantly transformed into one of hope.
Vice Mayor Reinel smiled for the first time.
“Now we have a chance.”
They had already realized that a peaceful resolution was out of the question.
After all, powerful strength was necessary for a peaceful resolution.
Witnessing the mage’s miracle, they began to harbor the possibility of resistance.
If the Free City Alliance’s resistance was strong, the Crusaders would inevitably hesitate.
Would the White Church and the Sail Kingdom also retreat at a reasonable level?
“The wisdom of the Mage Guild is truly our treasure.”
Mayor Atilane’s thoughts were no different. He placed an arm around Sharia’s shoulder and said,
“Thank you sincerely for coming in such a moment of crisis.”
They had now gained hope for a counterattack.
But no one knew that this hope was overshadowed by the darkest shadow.
* * *
Fires were rising in various parts of the Free City Alliance.
The cities that boasted of democracy were bleeding from the invasion of the Crusaders and monsters.
Baldwyn, known as the ‘Knight of Flames,’ cut through a narrow alleyway with his sword.
His gaze was sharp.
Gone was the gentleness of a Gold Badge adventurer, replaced by a cold resolve.
“There will be no mercy for those who harbor Warlocks.”
His words struck the ears of the Crusader soldiers as truth.
Baldwyn’s actions particularly pleased Priest Clayton.
“Brother’s intentions are truly commendable. Will you not officially work for the Church after this is over?”
Clayton, a priest and concurrently the commander of the Crusaders.
He liked Baldwyn immensely.
His unhesitating slaughter of enemies made him seem like a devoted follower who only thought of the Goddess.
His recommendation would have been more than enough to enlist Baldwyn as a Paladin.
However, Baldwyn shook his head.
“It is too great an honor for me.”
It was a gentle refusal.
He had joined the Crusaders not for the Church, but for revenge for his comrades.
But it was precisely this attitude that pleased Clayton even more.
‘The more I see him, the more I like him.’
He would have been disappointed if he had accepted his offer immediately.
A priest’s recommendation was not merely a simple matter.
Baldwyn was an outsider with no background in the Church.
But if he received a priest’s recommendation, the story would change. With just one recommendation letter, his future was practically secured.
He would gain honor and power far beyond that of a mere Gold Badge adventurer.
Yet, he refused.
Clayton mistook Baldwyn as someone who worked solely for the Goddess, not for his own safety.
So, how could he not like him?
‘I must ask him again after this is over.’
As he thought about recruiting Baldwyn, an old man blocked the procession. He held only a worn staff in his hand.
“Please… do not burn our city!”
A flicker of hesitation crossed Baldwyn’s eyes.
This old man was likely not involved with the Warlocks who had killed Lyra and Sienna.
But Celia’s voice echoed in his ears.
– They are all accomplices. Do not trust those who pretend to be innocent.
Baldwyn swung his sword towards the old man.
“Aagh!”
The old man collapsed, screaming.
Baldwyn did not stop his advance.
Moving forward past the alley, a small square appeared. There, citizens who had not evacuated had gathered.
Mostly the elderly and children, and a few Free City Alliance soldiers trying to protect them.
“Please! At least save these children!”
A woman, holding a child in her arms, knelt before Baldwyn.
Something stirred deep within his heart. Was this the revenge he desired?
This woman and child had not killed his comrades…
At that moment, Baldwyn felt a headache. A sense of fog filled his mind.
Celia’s smile, her sweet voice, filled his consciousness again.
– You are realizing justice.
Celia’s sweet voice enveloped Baldwyn’s consciousness.
He held his throbbing head with both hands. He felt that something was wrong.
But he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
Suddenly, another memory flashed through him. The faces of the villagers he had saved in the past, the monsters he had slain with his sword, and the times he had laughed and chatted with Lyra and Sienna.
“Is this the revenge I wanted?”
He didn’t know.
Baldwyn’s mumbling was drowned out by the moans of the burning buildings.
The streets of the Free City Alliance were now filled with destruction and chaos. Citizens lying on the ground, burning houses, crying children.
But whenever such thoughts surfaced, he felt a fog in his mind.
All doubt and guilt dissolved in Celia’s smile.
“Priest! I see the Grand Garden over there! But….”
A Crusader, behind Baldwyn, shouted towards Priest Clayton. The joy of victory in his voice suddenly turned into terror.
Baldwyn raised his head and looked into the distance.
The Grand Garden, the center of the Free City Alliance’s politics, came into view. Its magnificent domed roof and the alliance’s flag were still flying high.
However, the problem lay elsewhere.
“Something is flying around!”
A colossal entity was circling around the Grand Garden.
“A, a Wyvern!”
Soon, everyone recognized the creature.
“What is this…!”
Clayton also looked at the sight with horror. His face turned pale.
Clutching the symbol of the church hanging on his chest, he murmured a prayer.
Why did a Wyvern appear here?
Baldwyn was equally confused.
Was the Wyvern perhaps trying to attack the Grand Garden?
“……!”
But the Wyvern did not attack the Grand Garden.
Instead, as if to protect the Grand Garden, it circled once in the air and changed its flight direction.
The Wyvern no longer circled the Grand Garden; it was now flying directly towards the Crusaders.
Its appearance was like a predator stalking its prey.
“Ev, everyone scatter!”
Clayton’s desperate command echoed. The Crusader knights began to disperse. While weaker than a dragon, a Wyvern could also breathe fire.
The Wyvern’s attack was unexpected, leaving no time to prepare.
Baldwyn stood still, watching the approaching Wyvern.
As the Wyvern drew close, Baldwyn could clearly see the figure riding on its back.
“…Undead?”
Numerous skeletons were densely packed on the Wyvern’s back.
After a moment, the skeletons began to jump off voluntarily, one by one.
They fell from the sky as if it were raining.
Kwahhh-!!
The moment the first skeleton hit the ground, a powerful explosion occurred.
Several Crusader soldiers were blown to pieces, unrecognizable.
Then, a second and third skeleton fell to the ground.
Kwahhh! Khwah!
Consecutive explosions struck the Crusader ranks. The street was instantly devastated, and the surviving soldiers screamed in terror.
“It’s a Lich! There’s a Lich on the Wyvern!”
Clayton exclaimed with despair.
Fear and anger mingled in his eyes.
“Dodge! The Free City Alliance has allied with the undead! Heretics! Heathens!”
Clayton’s voice echoed through the square. Terrified soldiers scattered in all directions.
However, Baldwyn could not move, staring at the scene in the sky.
“…Ha.”
He lowered his head. The sword in his hand fell to the ground.
“Hahahaha!”
A sudden burst of mad laughter.
Baldwyn continued to laugh, as if driven mad.
It was not a laugh of joy.
It was a desperate laughter born of the pain of realization.
“…Why.”
His laughter suddenly stopped, and his face turned pale.
“Why is an Arch Lich here!”
Baldwyn was not a fool.
As a Gold Badge adventurer, he was a seasoned warrior who had navigated numerous dungeons and dangerous situations. And now, he was clearly seeing the truth.
The figure wearing a blue robe among those on the Wyvern’s back.
He was likely the one who caused the skeletons to explode.
But the robe was too familiar.
Yes.
“Why Necros…”
Arch Lich Necros.
The entity he had encountered in a dungeon with his comrades.
That nightmarish monster, the starting point of all his misfortunes, was now attacking the Free City Alliance.
What did that mean?
The puzzle pieces in his mind began to fit together. Necros and Celia. The deaths of his comrades. Revenge against the Free City Alliance.
Everything was a lie.
Everything was a trap.
“Why… why!”
Baldwyn’s cry echoed through the street. He fell to his knees and slammed the ground.
Blood flowed, but he didn’t feel it.
The pain in his body was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.
Everything he had done up to this point was merely being manipulated by Necros.
Killing innocent citizens, burning cities, his sword… his epithet as the Knight of Flames…
In this very moment, it was extinguished.
“Oh my, you’re not as foolish as I thought?”
Baldwyn turned his head at the familiar voice from behind him.
Celia’s figure came into view.
But she was different from the Celia he had seen before.
Black horns sprouted from the head of the beautiful woman in the red dress.
Celia, too, was ultimately a monster.
“Ce… Celia…”
Baldwyn’s voice trembled.
Then, his gaze shifted to the figure beside Celia.
“…Lyra?”
Lyra, with her limbs severed and dragged along naked, caught his eye.
Her body was covered in wounds and bruises.
The face of the once beautiful half-elf was contorted with pain and despair.
“Ho-how…”
Baldwyn’s voice trailed off.
He couldn’t believe his eyes. Lyra wasn’t dead. And she was with Celia.
Everything was being distorted.
“L-, Lyra?”
He called out in a dazed voice. But only hatred and contempt for him flashed in Lyra’s eyes.
It was a wound that pierced Baldwyn’s soul more painfully than a knife.
“Traitor…”
The only word that came out of Lyra’s mouth. That single word pierced Baldwyn’s soul.
