Chapter 156 Bring out the Demonic Cult (1)
The southwestern edge of the Empire.
On the outskirts where peace has been maintained without getting caught up in the recent war, there was the domain of the Duke of Yusbast.
“A secret letter from Her Highness… … .”
Yusvast opened the letter in the office of the mansion.
This letter was secretly sent from the imperial palace by Princess Reynade to Yusbast, her roommate.
After taking the time to examine the contents of the letter closely, Yusvast smiled.
“At last I have a chance.”
Yusvast put Reynade’s letter down on the desk.
Then he murmured as he touched his nicely trimmed mustache.
“Only Dangsuk-nim can straighten out an empire in chaos… Did Her Highness the Princess also have a cute side?”
Reinade’s letter conveyed in detail what had happened in the imperial palace this time.
It is said that the Iron Blood Knights fell for the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult and caused a rebellion.
The academy overpowered the Iron Blood Knights and took control of the imperial palace.
That the Emperor had completely lost consciousness and could not wake up.
Taking advantage of this situation, Aernas took office as the commander of the Knights of Lichtenau and gained great authority… … .
Amid these events, Reynade revealed that she felt fear.
“It seems that Her Highness the Princess is afraid of Ernas Landstein. Well, even if you’re like me, you’ll feel threatened, even more so when you’re a 12-year-old.”
“… … .”
“So, as a member of the imperial family, I came up to the imperial palace… He wants you to protect him as his guardian. He said he would provide a position for the Archduke of Lichtenau.”
Saying that, Yusbust smiled.
“What do you think, Archbishop Munheizen?”
“… … .”
Sitting across from Yusbust was a man wearing a black hood.
He opened his mouth while examining the letter Yusvast had put down.
“The contents of the letter are almost identical to what we, the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult, understand. It seems clear that Aernas took advantage of the chaos to seize the initiative.”
“Do you think Aernas is aiming for the position of emperor?”
“I don’t know what’s going on inside. But it’s important that the princess is feeling fear.”
“Yes, according to this letter, Her Highness is afraid that Aernas will harm her and become a usurper.”
“That’s enough of a justification. It is true that Aernas led the academy and turned the imperial palace into a sea of blood.”
The reason why the Archbishop of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult is here is because he and Yusvast have been friends since before.
Yusbast had been looking for opportunities in the southern periphery while interacting with the Black Heaven Demonic Cult.
“Yes, if I behave well here… The position of emperor might return to me.”
Yusbast’s dream is to become an emperor.
Because the current emperor had been childless for a long time, the emperor’s cousin Yusbast was once considered a candidate for the next emperor.
However, when Reynade was born 12 years ago, Yusbast moved away from the throne.
nevertheless… Yusbast hadn’t given up on his dream of ascending the throne yet.
“If Her Highness the Princess officially appoints me as the Grand Duke of Lichtenau, even Aernas won’t move recklessly.”
“I guess so. If Prince Yousbast, a member of the royal family, obtains the position of Grand Duke of Lichtenau, even Aernas will not be hasty.”
“After organizing the entire empire like that, if Her Highness makes me yield the throne… I can become emperor.”
In the meantime, it was worthwhile to endure quietly in the periphery.
You must not miss this great opportunity.
“Archbishop Moonheizen, I will go up to the imperial palace immediately.”
“Then you will need power.”
“May I ask? Right now, I feel anxious with only the graduates under my direct control.”
If Aernas truly harbored a rebellion, he would point a knife at Yusbast as well.
In order to prevent that, he needed the help of the Black Heaven Demonic Cult.
“Don’t worry. Elite soldiers, including myself, will accompany you.”
Munhaizen lowered his head and said.
“I disguised myself as an aide to Lord Yusbast so that no one would notice.”
“Yes, your camouflage is reliable. please.”
Yusbust smiled as he touched his mustache.
“Someday, when I become emperor… I’ll make sure you don’t get upset either.”
* * *
Yusbust moved quickly.
Before Aernas formed the Lichtenau Knights and expanded their strength, they had to arrive at the imperial palace.
Of course, he couldn’t drag a large army to the imperial palace.
The number of people that Yusbust took was around 50 people.
but… Half of them were disguised by demonic followers dispatched by the Black Heaven Demonic Cult.
“Archbishop.”
“What is it, Bishop Voltline?”
From noble mtl dot com.
During the march, Munheizen answered the voice of Bishop Voltline, an aide.
Of course, the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult telephony was used so that no one else could hear it.
“Do you really think that Yusbast will be able to seize power and become emperor?”
“Can it be?”
At Voltline’s question, Munheisen snorted.
“Youth Bust doesn’t have that level of ability. If you rush at Aernas, you will be counterattacked and destroyed.”
“yes? Then why are you helping Yusbast like this?”
“You still don’t understand, Bishop Boltline.”
Moonhaizen said with a smile.
“Now we are moving to throw the entire empire into chaos. The more chaotic the situation in the empire is, the more opportunities we have.”
“ah… … .”
“Youth Bast will go up to the imperial palace and show off with the princess on his back, but in the end he will be punished by Aernas. But there will be great confusion along the way.”
Yusbust is a member of the royal family.
In addition, if he is recognized by the princess and rises to the position of Grand Duke of Lichtenau, he will in fact have authority second only to the emperor.
If Aernas trampled on that authority by force, the image of Aernas would also fall.
“There will be voices saying that Aernas is not recognized, and the palace ministry will also consider Aernas dangerous. Then, how will Aernas come out?”
“no way… Are you really going to aim for the throne?”
“I can’t predict that far. But considering what we’ve done so far, I’m not going to stay calm.”
at last… It leads to great chaos that threatens the existence of the empire.
That is the time when the Black Heaven Demonic Cult begins in earnest.
“So we just need to help this empire rise to such chaos.”
“Then, you can move with that in mind in the imperial palace.”
“yes. After causing as much chaos as possible, all we have to do is slip away.”
Heizen Moon is the archbishop with the most advanced spirituality in the Black Heaven Demonic Cult.
All of his subordinates were combat priests who had a good understanding of ceremonial arts.
If he wanted to, he could leave the imperial palace and return to the headquarters, leaving Yusbast alone.
“I shouldn’t become like Archbishop Catoleas, who infiltrated the imperial palace.”
“The death of Archbishop Catoleas… It’s very unfortunate.”
“Yes, I lost a precious person.”
Having such a conversation by telephony, Munheizen continued marching with Yusvast’s privates.
but… A problem arose during the march.
“What is going on?”
“It seems to be a checkpoint for the Schreyer family.”
“The Schreier family?”
The Shreyer family is a renowned swordsmanship that ruled the southwestern part of the continent.
However, after losing the war against the academy and even losing the life of the owner, Claubice, the reputation was not the same as before.
“Listen, swordsmen of the Schreyer family!”
At the swordsmen of the Schreier family who were blocking the road, Yusbust raised his voice.
“I am Yusbust, the feudal lord who inherited the blood of the iron-blooded sword emperor! Do you, who are mere enlisted men of the Duke of Schreier, dare to stop me?!”
Duke is a title given to the imperial family in this empire.
Compared to normal dukes, the authority is high, but the practicality is low.
This is because it is forbidden to have large territories or large numbers of soldiers.
However, as long as he was a member of the imperial family, the private soldiers of the duke’s family were not beings that could be ignored.
“Get out of the way! Unless you want to be strangled by impiety!”
Yusbast insisted on asserting his authority, but there was no reaction from the Schreier family.
After the silence, Yusvast raised his voice again.
“Who is in charge! Come out right now… … !”
“I am in charge, Prince Jusbast.”
A young man appeared from the side of the Schreyer family.
He was a handsome man with silver-white hair.
“I am Ernas Landstein, Commander of the Knights of Liechtenau.”
At that moment, everyone in the youth camp held their breath.
* * *
“Eh, Ernas Landstein? how are you here… … !”
A middle-aged man with a mustache pointed a finger at me in embarrassment.
“Why are you here? Originally you… … .”
“That’s the question I’d like to ask, Master Yusvast.”
I asked Yusbast in a calm voice.
“Why are you escaping from the southern territory and leading the soldiers to the north?”
“… … !”
Yusbust flinched.
“Let me answer you. what’s the reason?”
“That, that… … .”
He couldn’t answer properly.
It would be difficult to say that he was on his way to the imperial palace to receive a secret letter from the princess and become the Grand Duke of Lichtenau.
“Is there any reason why it is difficult to answer?”
“Yes, yes, this is an important matter within the imperial family… … .”
“I hope you don’t tell lies, Mr. Yusbast.”
“what?”
“Because I already figured out everything and came down to the south.”
Yusbust made a surprised expression.
“Eh, Aernas, I can’t believe I received a letter from Her Highness the Princess… … .”
“What are you talking about, Master Yusbast?”
I said in a calm voice.
“Isn’t it a plan to usurp the throne by joining hands with Archbishop Munhaizen of the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult and attacking the imperial palace, where the Knights of Iron Blood don’t exist?”
Yes.
The reason I asked for letters from Reynade was all for this situation.
If you lure him into giving you the position of Grand Duke of Lichtenau, Yousbast will come running to the palace without question.
Then Archbishop Moon Heizen from the Black Heaven Demonic Church will come forward and help Yusbast.
That’s what I expected, blocking the road in advance and waiting.
“What are you talking about?!”
Yusbust raised his voice with a puzzled expression.
“Ji, what kind of ridiculous false accusation… Why am I attacking the imperial palace and usurping the throne!”
It would be unfair from the point of view of Youth Bust.
Right now, Yusbust is on his way to the imperial palace to ascend to the position of Grand Duke Lichtenauer with the princess.
However, there is no use in being sad.
“Don’t pretend, Master Yusbast.”
“It’s not pretentious! I am forever for Her Highness… … !”
“Then, what about Archbishop Munheizen hiding over there?”
“… … ?!”
Pointing between the soldiers, Yusbast held his breath.
“It seems that they are hiding their magic with the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult’s secret technique, but I can see through it. Why are you accompanying the Archbishop of the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult?”
“Now, wait a minute, I don’t know… … .”
Right then.
A gloomy voice came from the direction I pointed.
“It looks like we got hit, Lord Yusbast.”
“… … !”
A man wearing a black hood rose from among the soldiers with a vicious aura.
It was Archbishop Munheisen, who had been interacting with Yusbast for a long time.
“It seems that the letter itself from the princess was Aernas’ trap in the first place.”
“What, what?”
“It must have been a plan to drag us out and knock us out. Before even arriving at the imperial palace.”
“… … !”
Archbishop Munheizen was also smarter than Yusvast.
If you notice everything like this, there is no need to explain it one by one.
“But, Ernas Landstein… You made one mistake.”
“mistake?”
“We have no intention of getting knocked out by you guys.”
At that moment, other Demonic Cultists also revealed their identities among the soldiers.
All of them were emitting an aura similar to Munheizen.
“It’s a matter of getting out of here like this.”
“Now, hold on!”
Yusbust hurriedly raised his voice.
“Archbishop Moonheisen! Are you trying to run away from here?!”
“Don’t get me wrong, Lord Yusbust.”
“what?”
“Because I have no intention of escaping with Yousbast-dono.”
“… … !”
Originally, Munheizen planned to stop losing Youth Bust at the right time.
That time was now.
Now that things have happened like this, there is no reason for Munheizen to take care of Youth Bust anymore.
All you had to do was leave Yusbust alone and run away.
“You are mistaken, Archbishop Munheizen.”
“what?”
“Do you think you can escape?”
Hearing my voice, Heizen Wen furrowed his eyebrows.
“Ernas Landstein, you seem to have raised your nose too much for defeating the Archbishop of Catoleas. Do you think someone like you can catch up to my speed?”
“In the first place.”
I said, ignoring Munheisen’s question.
“Do you think I prepared a ploy to knock out all the people here?”
“what?”
“Just because we beat you guys here today doesn’t mean it’s over.”
Munhaizen just said that he set up a trap to defeat them once and for all, but that is just an illusion.
He didn’t go this far just to kill a member of the imperial family and an archbishop.
“I’ll subdue you guys this time… I will immediately report to the imperial palace. Since Prince Yusbast was holding hands with the Demonic Cult of Dark Heaven, we should search the territory of the Duke of Yusbast and find out the forces of the Demonic Cult of Darkness.”
“what… … ?”
“Then you will have a reason to lead the Knights of Lichtenau and march to the southern tip.”
“… … !”
southern tip.
A periphery of peripheries that has no great value.
However, I know what is hidden there.
“Aernas Landstein, you bastard… … !”
Just a moment ago, Munheizen was preparing to escape by using the ceremonial technique.
But now Munheizen would no longer think of running away.
“Yes, Archbishop Munheizen.”
I said, raising my magic.
“I already know that the headquarters of your Black Heaven Demonic Cult is at the southern end.”
“Kill Ernas Landstein… … !”
Among the enlisted soldiers of Yusbast who did not understand the situation, the Demonic Cultists jumped up with a resolution to die.
Archbishop Munhaizen also tried to use his super-fast swordsmanship, the Black Sky Thunder Sword.
However, it is all meaningless resistance.
“I will show you, Archbishop Munheizen.”
I said while pulling out my true silver sword.
“Now, what power does the enemy the Dark Heaven Demonic Cult have to deal with?”
The iron-blooded sword magic method that only the descendants of the iron-blooded sword master can learn.
A large amount of mana perfectly controlled by that ultimate technique… I deployed all at once.