36 – Ceasefire
Briphen, the commander of the Imperial Knights of the Kaorelden Empire, surveyed the surroundings. He checked the item in his possession. It was the relic that was believed to be bestowed by the goddess Luasta, descending through generations. This was the Warp Device that operated by harnessing the life force of multiple individuals.
Many lives had already been channeled into it, and now, with just one or two more lives, this relic could be activated.
If the relic was activated, the Emperor would also be able to leave this place. No matter how monstrous a killer he was, Briphen was certain that he couldn’t kill the Emperor, defying even the power of the relic.
“There is no other way…”
For Briphen, the Emperor dying here was the worst-case scenario. And it was understandable, as Lecan Emperor had connected his own life with the lifeline of the Imperial High Priestess.
If Lecan Emperor died, the only High Priestess who could heal his sister would also die.
“I can’t let that happen…”
He had committed countless atrocities, pretending not to know, all because of his younger sister. He had believed that he could do anything if it meant saving his little sister, and he had relentlessly piled up sins.
If he gave up here, everything would be over. That’s why Briphen quietly spoke to the Emperor.
“Even if…even if I die, if I succeed in escaping, you must heal my sister.”
“I make no promises.”
Briphen raised his sword with a determined expression. He just needed to buy time. That’s what he thought.
—
“Is honor or revenge for comrades more important than your life? Why are you doing something so inefficient?”
“Because…because I am a knight.”
After hearing Tekeroman’s words, McDerrus stepped back and pondered.
“It’s a meaningless action. Others might criticize it as foolish.”
Tekeroman, the commander of the Tekeroman Knights.
If he had stayed behind quietly, he could have easily taken the enemy’s life right in front of him. But why did he risk his life for the sake of his comrade’s revenge? It was inefficient. It wasn’t rational. It wasn’t logical. The Archmage McDerrus defined Tekeroman’s actions as such.
If those who were unfamiliar with Tekelloman saw him, they might have criticized him as a fool. MacDarras also partly agreed with that opinion.
However, the reason he didn’t stop the man who wanted to fight was simple.
“Sometimes irrational judgments can become everything.”
Tekelloman was a knight on the battlefield. He was a man who practiced a few knightly virtues, and that’s why he spared Flemea. That’s why he didn’t slaughter civilians. Thanks to that, he could receive my favor.
Honestly, it was true that the Phebron Empire was needed for the recovery after the war.
However, if the Phebron Empire had been considered unnecessary even after saving them, I would have slaughtered both empires without hesitation. But seeing Tekelloman saving the enemy saint, seeing Princess Brainy who acted decisively, and seeing the foolish knights of the Phebron Empire who ran into traps to protect civilians and risked their lives, I made up my mind to help them.
I am foolish, and that’s why I like these foolish people.
Realistically speaking, their deaths were not worthless. The deaths on the battlefield, whether it be Phebron or Kaorelden Empire, increased the power of my slaughter magic, and the countless corpses piled up allowed for such overwhelming battles.
If I had only protested without killing the enemies, if many people hadn’t died there to defend the border area, the outcome might have been different.
I sincerely believed that.
That’s why I stepped back and watched Tekelloman’s battle.
Clang!
The sound of blades clashing as if they were about to break echoes. Briphen, the commander of the Kaorelden Empire’s Briphen Royal Knights, casually parried Tekelloman’s attack.
Not only did he simply parry, but he also faked his moves in between attacks to confuse Tekelloman. Maybe about three moves. Blood started to flow from Tekelloman’s arm.
“Give up. You can’t defeat me.”
Briphen looked down at the man. Even though they hadn’t fought many moves, the difference in skill was clearly felt.
If he had put his heart into it, he would have already severed the man’s neck in the first move. But Briphen didn’t do that. I don’t know why. He didn’t want to cut the man’s throat, for some reason.
“Again…”
Tekelloman raises his sword and charges again. He pushes forward without considering defense. But his attack is completely parried by Briphen.
Briphen just intercepts the descending sword with his own.
Tekelloman missed his sword, while Bripin left a large sword mark on the man’s chest. Red blood began to spurt from his chest.
Tekelloman attacked again, using his rough sword, but once again it was deflected by Bripin.
“Ugh…!”
Bripin turned his body to avoid Tekelloman’s sword, then proceeded to cut off his toe.
“No matter how many times you try, you won’t be able to touch me.”
Due to his severed toe, Tekelloman’s movements were restricted. Despite limping, he did not let go of his sword.
“Why on earth…”
Bripin hesitated when faced with the sword of the man attacking him.
Tekelloman was a great swordsman, but he was not as skilled as Bripin, who was known as the Sword Saint. The difference in skill was overwhelming. Bripin could have stabbed the man’s heart multiple times, even just now.
“Ugh…!”
Tekelloman bled profusely as the sword pierced his abdomen. He was in pain, but he still held his sword and staggered forward.
Watching his figure, Bripin finally shouted.
“Why on earth! Why are we fighting! Why don’t you give up! You can’t win. You know better than anyone the difference in skill!”
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Tekelloman did not answer Bripin’s question.
From the depths of Bripin’s heart, an unpleasant emotion arose. Pretending not to notice it, Bripin raised his sword and this time cut the skin on Tekelloman’s neck. If he had missed slightly, he could have pierced a dangerous blood vessel. However, even then, Tekelloman counterattacked.
“Ugh…!”
This time, Bripin received a shallow wound. He hadn’t expected Tekelloman to counterattack in that state.
“Damn it…”
Bripin looked into the determined eyes of the man and realized the unpleasant feeling that had arisen in his own heart.
“He’s willing to die.”
Tekeloman had not defended himself at all since earlier. His movements focused solely on killing the enemy. And with each attack on vulnerable spots that he displayed openly, it was as if he was relentlessly charging as if he wanted to die together.
He did not engage in battles with victory in mind. Both of them fought for the purpose of dying.
“Is that insignificant knight so important? Eventually, you too will be corrupted. The moment will come when the self-esteem that always believed you could always keep it will crumble, and you will finally realize. That knights and such were utterly useless.”
Finally, Tekeloman opened his mouth.
“I… couldn’t protect it with my own hands.”
He staggered with a sword in hand and rushed towards Bripin. No, it was slow steps as if his body couldn’t move, but he was doing his best to advance. Reaching out with his arm, aiming at Bripin with his sword.
“I… couldn’t protect the knights who followed me and believed in me… I was the only one who survived.”
Tekeloman shouted while bleeding. As if he was speaking to himself.
“Although I said I would be the first to die, I ended up sacrificing my comrades and surviving alone. I couldn’t accomplish anything like an idiot, and because I was weak, I had to watch the deaths of those who believed in me. I experienced the battlefield many times, but in the end, I survived alone.”
Clang!
Tekeloman’s sword touched Bripin’s sword. But immediately, Bripin kicked Tekeloman in the abdomen.
Bripin bit his lip and shouted.
“Don’t use me as a means for your suicide.”
“Even if we are prepared to die, we do not call it suicide to fight until the end. Knights call it a duel.”
Tekeloman picked up the sword that slipped from his hand and jumped at Bripin again. As his slowed arm gradually regained strength, he shouted and mercilessly attacked Bripin.
“…”
The knights who watched the scene from behind fell silent. It was because Tekeloman’s expression looked so agonized. He ruthlessly swung his sword down and shouted.
“Why… why! Why do you protect him under that cruel emperor? Taking the lives of countless people! Starting a pointless war and still following the person who wants to live alone until the end! You are no different. You are no different from that wicked emperor!”
Tekeloman screamed in a cry that was close to a scream and attacked, but Bripin seemed to have no intention of listening anymore, as he swept away his sword and disarmed Tekeloman. Then, he thrust his own sword into Tekeloman’s abdomen.
“Don’t babble without knowing anything. I have suffered countless times as well.”
When Bripen whispered to Tekeloman.
With a sword pierced through him, Tekeloman leaned forward and struck Bripen’s face with his head.
“Groan…!”
Because they were so close, Tekeloman’s blow was a effective hit on Bripen. However, that was all. Tekeloman’s arms and legs no longer moved.
Bripen walked towards Tekeloman, looking down at him.
The man, who seemed to have no strength left to fight back, breathed heavily and muttered as if his life was about to be cut off.
“I can still… I can still fight…”
Bripen stared blankly at Tekeloman for a moment and then withdrew his sword without swinging it.
Even though the sword was being thrust into him, he did not have a trace of fear. It must not be because he was not afraid of death.
It must be because it was more sinful to do nothing for the fallen comrades. That’s why he could act like this. That’s why he held the sword until the last moment, with a face full of conviction that he was right.
Bripen muttered to himself, bowing his head.
“I forgot. I, too, had a time when I had the same heart as you.”
Silently, he took out the relic from his bosom. If he killed Tekeloman and filled it with his energy, the relic would activate and move the emperor to a safe place. The power of the relic is absolute. That’s why the emperor may be able to successfully escape from the slaughterer in front of him.
If the emperor successfully escapes, there is a slight possibility that his younger sister can survive. The right choice is to let the Le Khan Emperor escape even if he dies here. It’s for the sake of his sister’s survival, after all the dirty deeds he has done so far.
The Le Khan Emperor shouts from behind.
“If you’re ready to cast the spell, hand it over to me now! Bripen! Hand it over to me right now!”
The Emperor’s relentless scream echoed, and Bripen threw the relic to the Emperor.
Just when the Le Khan Emperor reached out to catch it.
Thud…
Bripen’s sword pierced through the Emperor’s abdomen.
The emperor, who had been spewing blood from his mouth, staggered and shouted with a malicious determination.
“Yes… Your… Your sister will die. When my life ends, so too will the life of the imperial maiden… disappear…”
Briphen, tears streaming down his face, spoke to the emperor as if pouring out his heart.
“Please be honest. Did you not plan to let my sister live after successfully escaping? Didn’t you consider her nothing more than a leash to control me? I knew it. I knew that no matter what I did, you would not cure my sister, and that once she became unnecessary, you would discard her. But because I couldn’t give up on my sister, because I wanted to hold onto even a small glimmer of hope, I complied with your unreasonable demands. I don’t want to commit any more sins. That’s why now, I want to let go of this meaningless hope.”
Briphen shouted like a plea, and Emperor Lecan glared at him, muttering.
“Your sister will die… And you… will be recorded as a… traitor. You will surely receive the punishment of the goddess Luasta… Even in death… You will live in eternal hell…”
Briphen replied with a pained expression.
“I am already living in hell.”
“You… will be remembered as a traitor… The citizens of the Kaorel Empire… will record my death as a calamity… The empire, having lost its leader, will tread the path of destruction…”
Emperor Lecan cursed and cursed until the end. Briphen looked at him and spoke.
“You’re wrong.”
Without hesitation, Briphen raised his sword, filled with determination unlike before.
“The citizens of the Kaorel Empire will remember your death not as a calamity, but as a revolution.”
Swoosh.
The emperor’s head and body were separated.
It was a pitiful end for someone who had claimed to be a god, someone who had believed they could live forever.
After confirming the emperor’s death, Briphen finally lowered his sword with a calm expression.
And then, he looked at McDelas and extended his hand, speaking.
“Please kill me.”
The man’s expression seemed completely at ease.