5. Bread and Dagger (81)
A blizzard was raging in the desolate plain.
It was proof that the family of the evil spirit had descended. The Demon Realm is a world of eternal winter, so when the passage leading there was opened, snow and wind would pour in.
Even so, it was cold and dry in the north.
The snowfield, covered with the captivating snow of the Demon Realm, was bizarre because it was pure white. A world where everything was bleached felt so unfamiliar.
And the flesh that covers the distant horizon.
The bubbling flesh was constantly spewing out rays. Perhaps because the snake’s head proliferated too much, its power itself weakened, but it was still enough to take someone’s life.
Could it be because no one has stimulated the flesh monster now?
The rays the snake spewed were directed toward the sky. Pillars of light shot through a hole in the gray world one after another.
Then it seems like the sky is opening up.
It may have been the result of a reflection of his hatred for the heavenly gods.
With each exhalation, pure white breath dissipated. Behind me, silently staring at the horizon, stood a girl who shrank.
She was a striking beauty with dark blue hair and light gray eyes.
The flower of the imperial family, 5th Princess Shien.
She hasn’t even made eye contact with me since I came back. A sense of guilt that had not been seen for a while was buried in those light gray pupils.
And even a strange feeling of inferiority.
I deliberately did not ask for details.
When the time comes, the princess will open her mouth first.
Until then, he had intended to respect the will of the princess as much as possible.
“Lee, Sir Ian… can i be of help That monster is too big… … .”
“You just need to contact us in time.”
Saying “Quuck”, I placed a small stone in the princess’s hand.
It was a means of communication given to me by Neris-senpai. It was an object with the ability to communicate words to me from a distance by reacting to the magic letters engraved on the back of my ear.
It was an expensive and precious device as convenient as it was convenient.
However, behind my back was the imperial family. At least within the Empire, there weren’t many things that were impossible with dragon blood characters.
The princess was still hesitant, but accepted the device with a difficult nod.
The princess wasn’t the only one standing behind me.
“Ian, the preparations are complete.”
It was a very shaky voice.
When I glanced away, there was a saintess with a sullen expression. It was no different from a direct violation of the promise made a few days ago, so the anger was justified.
I was at a loss for what to say.
But what can I do?
I had work left to do.
It was an opportunity to resolve the long-standing conflict between humans and elves and comfort the spirits buried in hatred.
I wouldn’t be the only fit. Even so, I was convinced that this path was right.
I said with a wry smile.
“Thank you for forcing me to fit in, saintess.”
“Huh, that sounds out of my mind.”
It was an accusatory word thrown with pouting lips.
I had a more awkward face, but this was the place of separation.
I couldn’t help but pretend to be angry.
In the end, the saintess squeezed my hand tightly with both hands looking worried.
“I will definitely take this debt. you know? I’m not doing anything to lose money… So, I will definitely come back alive.”
“Don’t worry, there will be no bankruptcy on your bonds.”
I deliberately bluffed and answered like that.
In fact, I was afraid of how the saintess would collect the debt.
However, since he had already owed countless amounts of debt to the saintess, he had no way of refusing the saintess’ help anyway.
It would have been better to soothe the saintess’ heart like this.
followed by the last sequence.
Seria had a nervous look on her face.
“Senior Ian… Will it be okay? No, it should be fine. I will definitely protect senior Ian.”
There was a faint frenzy in those blue pupils. Her fingers, which curled up and opened, represented her feelings.
It looked like he wanted to catch me and imprison me.
I was about to say a word with a smile, but then I stopped.
It was because I suddenly remembered the bloody letter.
And even the secret of Seria’s birth.
It seemed that the smile would disappear at any moment. I forcibly raised the corners of my mouth and patted Seria’s shoulder, who was staring at me with unshaded eyes.
My touch brought Seria back to her senses.
Ah, a faint elasticity burst out.
Only then did I bring up the main topic.
“What about the army?”
“Ah, ah! Note, I’m ready! My sister handed over all authority to me… … .”
“Please.”
After that, my body kicked off the ground and was shot.
The new model, which stretched out, crushed the landscape. The roads leading to the solid line aimed at one goal.
A chunk of flesh in the distance.
It didn’t take long for the unrestrained body to notice the anomaly.
Accelerate, accelerate, and accelerate again.
Each time he landed on the ground, his running speed increased faster and faster. The more I did, the more snake heads stared at me from above the boiling flesh.
It was an ugly disgrace.
The sight of dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands of snakes staring at me.
It was really the worst.
Instead of a greeting, I threw out the hatchet.
A silver straight line was drawn in the gray air.
The heads of snakes did not respond until the blood gushed out. The ax blade thrown at that high speed did not kill the ferocious momentum.
One, two, three.
No, more snake heads burst out one after another, scattering blood and flesh. Around the time when the power of the hatchet was weakening, Jung Joong-dong’s technique added strength in the positive direction.
The blood that bursts out based on a straight line drawn in the world.
The monsters then burst into screams.
Kieee
Even though they were taken aback by the unexpected attack, the snakes responded quickly. It seemed that his reaction speed improved because he had a lot of hair.
Other than that, it felt like my power was deteriorating.
Compared to snakes made of elves with ‘blessing’, they were weak.
It seemed that the level of snakes that could be made with that material was limited, as long as he swallowed anything he could find.
That was good news for me.
The silver aura surrounding the sword began to burn fiercely. The increasingly condensing halo of light was on the verge of forming crystals.
It was a sign that the aura was approaching flowering.
I think it would be possible if there was just one small step, an accidental opportunity.
I twisted the sword body while hiding my gradual impatience.
The light beams draw a straight line with a thump and light vibration in line with it.
The snake’s skull emitted an explosive light.
However, their first raids did not produce very good results.
It was after I had already learned how to respond before.
Non-Seasonal ‘Determination’.
The trick of one of the only three masters in this era was being shown in the far north.
Kieeck!
Kyaaagh!
With a scream, the heads of snakes around were erased at once.
Some of them fought back with the beams from their mouths, but most burned as the beams swept through the fan-shaped area.
A roaring fire consumed the blizzard.
Still, it was not enough.
The number of snake heads was too many. No matter how minute the parallax was, there were dozens of simultaneous beams of light.
It was impossible to cut them out one by one.
So I was able to prepare.
“……Saint!”
I couldn’t tell if the screaming sound had reached me.
However, at an amazing point in time, the scenery I had hoped for was coming into my eyes.
Light bullets of divine power filling the sky with pure white.
After the connection between the elves and the Dark Church was revealed, it was the Holy Nation’s army that personally visited the North.
Originally, they were the ones who had to fight on the front lines. However, after I persuaded the saintess, she decided to support me from the rear first.
Even if it was only a rear support, the army of the castle was strong.
Even more so, the opponent, the family of the evil god, who could be said to be in conflict, the flesh monster had no choice but to scream through the snake’s mouth.
Even if some survived, they weren’t my opponents.
Hours of cutting, crushing, killing like that to advance.
I pushed my blood-soaked bangs back and pushed them back. The sound of panting breath and the sound of my beating heart echoed in my head.
At the end of my gaze, I saw the person I had been looking for so long.
A middle-aged man whose lower body was melted and joined with a lump of flesh.
As soon as he sensed my presence, he opened his eyes.
“Ah, it’s hateful… A society based on the rule of law and a barbaric landscape! A structure that exploits the weak and the vested interests! And all of you!”
The eyes that had lost their pupils burned with a golden light.
“Ian Percus… You smell the thick blood! How much blood did you put on your hands? The blood of the outcasts!”
It was Leoric.
Then I burst out laughing.
I was really eager to meet you.
“Long time no see, son of a bitch.”
It was a bloody smile.
**
Yurdina Castle, where all the vassals and soldiers went out, was silent.
Goseong, immersed in silence, looked like ruins in a snowstorm. A structure that creates a gloomy and lonely atmosphere just by its existence.
Inside, a man and a woman stood in one of the few places where warmth remained.
The frail man had his back to the woman. Despite the fierce snowstorm hitting the window, he was staring at the invisible scenery outside the window.
After a long silence, the old man opened his mouth.
“What’s going on?”
Bloody eyes glanced back.
There, also, stood a woman with bloody eyes.
“…my daughter.”
Marquis Yurdina and Delphine Yurdina.
It was a late night father-daughter reunion.