74 – The Return
Sirius saw Wind Wall.
Wind Wall’s path connects to the heart of the empire.
If Wind Wall is taken, the empire dies.
“Brothers and sisters, today we are rewriting history. Julia, the wicked and bloodthirsty tyrant, has tainted this land with poverty and fear through her greed.”
Sirius recalled the past.
Starving at the Haven Orphanage.
He pleaded many times, but the empire abandoned the orphanage.
“Think about our friends and family who have fallen under the oppression of the empire. While we were starving and shivering in the cold, they were merely drinking wine in front of a warm fireplace.”
The half-empire army’s captain, Sirius, cannot forgive the empire.
“Saint of Revenge, bless us!”
The saint, Aileen, stepped forward.
And silently prayed.
“The stars are watching over us. We will not lose our way even in the dark!”
Sirius said.
“Everyone, advance! Fight until our swords penetrate the tyrant’s chest, until our spears break down their front line! Until freedom spreads across this land, until the starlight proclaims our victory!”
The half-empire army advanced.
The tide had already turned.
The empire will never bear defeat.
“Hmm. What a bunch of crap.”
Julia succinctly commented.
On the tank, she assessed the battlefield.
Situation, unfavorable.
Morale, broken.
Justification, stolen.
Ascal, gone.
Yulia is no fool.
She probably won’t win this war.
Yet she came here because she chose to struggle with a slight possibility rather than a slow and certain death.
“Duke Debru, where is the demon of our empire!”
“He’s fled.”
“What, how can that be. If he is not here, how are we supposed to…”
Ridiculous.
The so-called general was weak and powerless.
The empire had been rotting from the roots since Yulia became the emperor. No matter how competent Yulia was, she could not revive a rotten tree.
‘If only I had found Ascal a bit earlier.’
Could I have saved the empire then?
This is regret, too late.
Yulia has already let Ascal go.
Because she wished him to live happily.
But she held onto a bit of hope.
That he would appear, a hero amidst this crisis.
‘Ascal, what are you doing now?’
Yulia slowly opened her eyes.
“Surely, he isn’t… What, what is that up there.”
In the sky, there was something.
A white horse with wings and a huge white dragon were flying in the sky!
“That, isn’t that Pegasus from the legends!”
“And that, isn’t that the legendary White Dragon?”
Like small children, everyone was looking at the sky.
Both the imperial army and the anti-imperial forces looked up at the sky in astonishment.
Why in the world are Pegasus and the White Dragon here?
And even, strangely enough, the sound of a song started to be heard.
The voice amplified by stone magic stick in people’s ears,
“Bellum cessate, fratres, pax sit in terris”
It’s a beautiful woman’s voice.
But then,
“He really can’t sing…”
“Woah, that’s serious…”
I feel drained.
The adrenaline that was wholeheartedly secreted is all being siphoned off by this absurd spectacle.
Just like that.
Both sides lost their timing to advance.
“We will arrive at the Wind Wall soon! Askal, what should we do?”
“If you have nothing to do, relax and sing a song.”
“Should we do that?”
Askal sneaked a stone amplifier from Bernstein and placed it near Sushia.
Thanks to that, everyone ended up listening to Sushia’s song.
He had a terrible singing talent.
“Heehee!”
Fer appealed in pain.
Thanks to that, Askal almost fell from the sky.
“But what’s our aim here, Askal? What can we do if we get involved in this war?”
“Have some peanuts, Bernstein.”
“Thank you, Sushia.”
It’s a sharp question.
Upon Bernstein’s question, Askal responded,
“Have you ever tried to block the enemy for five minutes, or block the entrance, Bernstein?”
“I have no idea. Is it a proverb?”
“The purpose is simple. Buy some time until the dragon appears.”
The fire-breathing being, the dragon Karnax.
That dragon invades in the middle of the Wind Wall battle.
Then the dragon rampages indiscriminately like a resident furious about the noise between floors.
“And then we become dragon slayers, Bernstein.”
“Turns out, you were the most insane one.”
Askal laughed.
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Baekryong and Ferga sat on the ground.
Their position was at the very top of the triangle, above both the rebel army and the empire.
Thus, no one could rashly move. They needed to identify the sudden adversary that had appeared.
“Reveal your identity! Intruder!”
Sirius shouted fiercely, his voice booming.
It was so powerful, it stung their ears.
Askel responded loudly.
“You’ve grown much, Sirius.”
Having grown up so boldly, leading the rebel army.
Askel, while still wearing a half-mask and with an altered voice, intentionally concealed his identity.
The sudden mention of his name by Askel stirred Siriuss curiosity even more.
“I won’t ask again. Reveal your identity. Intruder.”
Sirius sized up the new power that had emerged.
Their number was absurdly small.
Two men and a woman who seemed to have no combat power.
However, the existence of a Pegasus and a mythical dragon are imposing. If provoked rashly, it could become a variable if they join the imperial army.
Askel contemplated what to do.
‘What alias should I use… In times like this, there’s really only one option.’
Askel swallowed his embarrassment and announced.
“We are the Knights of the Night, and I am the Prince of the Night! Commander of the Rebel Army, Sirius!”
One could get used to this after two or three times.
However, Askel felt a profound sense of embarrassment, seeing Syia and Bernstein desperately holding back their laughter.
“Then answer me, Prince of the Night! Whose side are you on! The evil empire’s, or ours!”
“I am on no one’s side. I only came to give a warning.”
“What do you mean?”
“Baekryong. Fire breath forward.”
Kwaaah!
Baekryong blasted breath into the desolate plains.
At that moment, the earth froze over.
It was almost end-game level wide-range magic.
Everyone who saw the breath of the White Dragon was rendered speechless.
“One more time. This time towards the mountains at the back.”
-It’s tough without the gemstones to do it twice.
“I’ll give you a honey pie.”
Ascal threw a honey pie into the mouth of the White Dragon.
The White Dragon swallowed the honey pie just like a border collie would.
Then once again.
Kwaahhhhh!
The breath shook the mountains.
“What, what are you doing!”
“You’re causing noise disturbance in front of the landlord.”
Ascal resignedly sank down into his seat.
He had done all he could.
Now it should appear…
If it does not appear without consideration, there will be trouble.
“Incognizant creatures, dare you to wake up my brief sleep. Your rudeness will turn into flames and ash!”
The flame spewing one, the ancient dragon Karnax.
The landlord has appeared.
“Prince of Darkness applies for a party to the Empire’s army (reason: Ancient dragon raid).”
＜The empire’s army accepts.＞
“Prince of Darkness applies for a party to half of the empire’s army (reason: Ancient dragon raid).”
＜Half of the Empire’s army accepts.＞
# Windwall: Ancient Dragon Karnax Raid
## Participating Forces
– Half of the Empire’s Army
– The Empire’s Army
– The Spider
– Prince of The Night
＜Victory conditions: Death of the Ancient Dragon Karnax＞
＜Defeat Conditions: Anything Else＞
– **HP of the Ancient Dragon Karnax: ██████████ 100%**
– The powerful flame breath of Karnax engulfs the battlefield.
– The White Dragon belches out a breath of ice, slowing the movements of the Ancient Dragon.
– The Imperial Army fires their cannons.
– Bernstein assembles an enormous golem.
– **HP of the Ancient Dragon Karnax: ██████░░░░ 60%**
– The Rebel Army joins the battle.
– Ascal swings his sword vigorously.
– The White Dragon retrieves its orb and breathes out again.
– Yulia supports with magic.
– **HP of the Ancient Dragon Karnax: ███░░░░░░░ 30%**
– Sirius dies.
– The Holy Maiden dies.
– The enormous golem is destroyed.
– Both Imperial Army and Rebel Army are half annihilated.
– Ascal protects Yulia.
The raid has failed.
“It was honestly regrettable. You agree?”
“So, it was indeed you. Ascal. It was you indeed. hahahahaha.”
Yulia cradles a defeated Ascal in her lap.
“I’ll check the pattern, so let’s do well in the next try. Our tank was a bit lacking.”
“Look this way, this way, Ascal.”
Ascal, as if looking into a far place.
It happened sometimes.
Losing oneself in the midst of the battlefield.
Let alone if they were hovering between life and death.
“Snap out of it. You have to snap out of it.”
Yulia shakes Ascal.
If you close your eyes now, it’s straight to the afterlife.
Ascal looked at Yulia.
“……Lia.”
“Yes, it’s me. Yulia, or your Lia.”
“I’ve realized it.”
“Speak up. Yes, keep talking. You cannot lose your consciousness.”
Ascal spoke in a fading voice.
“How to escape from the empire. This time for sure.”
“At this point, you’re still talking about escaping…… you’re really consistent, aren’t you?”
Yulia forced a hollow laugh.
“Yes, keep trying to escape. Ascal. No matter where you run, I will find you hundreds, thousands of times.”
Definitely.
“……Ascal?”
“He’s gone.”
Susia spoke impassively.
“I will also, follow him to death.”
“No, you have to run away.”
“There’s no use running away at this point.”
“There is use.”
Above Susia’s head, who was speaking like this, the starlight was shining. It was a particularly bright light.
“Let’s try again. All together, from the beginning.”
“Heuk!”
Ascal woke up.
His body was drenched in sweat. It felt like he had a nightmare.
His memories were blurry. Only, he desperately wanted to catch the dragon.
And when he looked around, oddly enough.
There were too many people.
“He’s awake!”
“He’s finally up!”
Ascal looked around.
In front of his eyes was the crown prince, Cain, Devon, Raika, Jellob, Serena, and Yulia, among others.
Elenia and Susia were kneeling in the back, their hands raised.
“You, you’ve been unconscious for a whole week. I was so worried you were dead!”
The crown prince spoke anxiously.
“Speaking of worry, our adjutant has been most concerned.”
“I was very worried too.”
Serena grumbled.
“…. Leah?”
Leah, half-collapsed, was dozing off holding onto the bed where Askel was lying.
Then Leah opened her eyes.
“Askel.”
“Leah, good timing. I have something to say.”
“…Yes?”
Leah looked perplexed.
“You’ll be the next Evaluation Bureau Chief. I’m going to retire after slaying the dragon. I’ve realized, a designated chief can legally retire from the empire.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha! Retirement as soon as you wake up! That’s very like you!”
“That, that position is too much for me.”
“Nope, there’s no veto.”
The crown prince laughed.
“Well, you will quit the Evaluation Bureau Chief on your own soon.”
“Really? I hope my next position isn’t the guillotine?”
“What a joke. You’ll definitely like it.”
The crown prince secretly stowed the certificate he had brought behind his back.
Because it might be too stimulating to show to the patient now.
Askel was back handling administrative work after a long time.
“No. Why is the work so easy?”
The work was bizarrely easy.
It felt as if someone with over a decade’s experience was operating inside his body.
Askel swung his sword.
Leah, watching him, spoke.
“….I didn’t know you were such an expert.”
Then Leah, who came out with a sword in hand, spoke.
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“I will help you practice.”
“You will only dirty your eyes.”
“No. Currently, you, Askal, are incredibly superior. As if, with just a very small cause, you can break through the wall.”
“A… wall?”
Lia’s voice changed.
“It means becoming a Swordmaster, Askal.”
Askal squinted his eyes.
“The evil spirit still hasn’t disappeared?”
“Right, we used to call it that. Doesn’t matter. Even so, she will be much more helpful in your training than the evil spirit. Take it on, Askal.”
“Die, evil spirit!”
Yulia sighed.
Then, she smiled faintly.
So three of them are regressor?