50 – On the Grounds of a Fallen Kingdom
Meanwhile, the situation in the Baschil Royal Palace was turning chaotic. No matter how securely they locked away the secrets, it was impossible to hide them from the global community.
Nobles, having heard about the situation from foreign connections, spread rumors, and soon the Baschil royal family became the target of condemnation.
Nobles and even the citizens rose up. Cardinal Luminel, the Empire’s top tactician, led the elite army closer to the Baschil Kingdom. To minimize any setbacks, they had to present the king and queen as an offering.
“Find them! We must locate all the royal family!”
“Whether direct or distant, there are no exceptions. We must apprehend them all and deliver them to the Empire!”
“Surrender is the only option!”
With no confidence in defeating the empire’s elites, they had turned the human forces into enemies, leading to a complete loss of justification. In this chaotic political situation, Ronan and Lunia were in the midst of fleeing through a secret passage known only to the royal family. With the opinion to defend the kingdom fading away, it seemed inevitable. Advocating for the kingdom might even lead to a life-threatening situation among the kingdom’s own citizens.
In this bewildering state of affairs, Ronan and Lunia were escaping through the secret passage known only to the royal family. Rather than facing death as it is, they preferred entrusting themselves to the demonic forces, just to catch a glimpse of their daughter’s face.
Lunia, who realized the truth belatedly, was astounded. However, she couldn’t reproach herself for what she had done for her own sake. Perhaps if Ronan had died just before, she might have made the same decision.
In the end, she followed Ronan’s opinion and moved towards the escape route.
“Hold on tight, Lunia.”
“Ronan…”
Ronan spoke from behind Lunia.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
True to the words of the royal couple, it was indeed a steed among steeds. The horizon beyond could be easily reached as the hoofbeats echoed refreshingly.
Baskhill happened to be a unique country facing the empire and the demonic forces on its border. Moreover, being close to the demonic forces, hiding was not impossible if they decided to do so.
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The couple ran.
To meet their daughter one last time.
Relentlessly, they ran.
Even if a merciless cliff awaited them.
Whether one should fervently wish for bad things to happen and good things to simply occur, misfortune had taken a clear form and arrived before the couple with a unified hope.
hehehehe!
“Huh?!”
“Ugh…! Lunia!”
Suddenly, the horse neighed loudly, lifting its front legs as if participating in a rodeo. From its almost vertical rear, Ronan desperately held the reins and pulled Lunia along.
Finally, on the horse that had regained its composure, Ronan saw a cliff suddenly appear.
The cliff was a vast valley that not even the bravest could overcome.
The name of the valley was Cardi Luminel.
In the valley, without any subordinates, a spirit consumed by struggle stood before them.
“… Ha.”
Emptiness filled Ronan’s eyes.
Though Cardi was still twenty steps away and had not yet drawn his sword, the scent of death emanated fiercely from him.
Ronan placed Lunia on the horse and stepped onto the ground. Then, he drew his sword and tapped the horse’s hindquarters.
Hee hee hee!
With a roar that shook the heavens, the horse ran around Cardi.
Cardi immediately tried to chase after them, but Ronan blocked his path, grinding his teeth.
“… You claim to have betrayed me, but nothing has happened yet. If you had stayed still, you might have received some leniency.”
“You cannot be considered a great man when you are willing to torture your own wife.”
“I agree with that.”
Snap!
Cardi briefly acknowledged and pushed Ronan away with tremendous force.
If he had the will, he could have killed the horse even from this distance, but as the husband of the same woman, sympathy for Ronan took hold of him.
At least let the fate of the woman be left to chance.
That was the maximum mercy Cardi could show.
◇
Perhaps anyone would raise a question mark above their head at an unexpected fact.
Contrary to worries, Leticia was a beloved wife. As a human guest, Leticia had prepared herself for persecution, but everyone in the demon castle was affectionate towards her. It was a clear reception, given the strong authority of the demon king.
Separately, the demon king was also enamored with Leticia. For the demon king, Leticia was precious simply because she could create an heir. As they treated each other with courtesy, an embarrassing liking for each other emerged.
The two different races became a couple without knowing each other’s feelings.
Amidst this, urgent news arrived.
It was the news that the Basquehill Kingdom was on the verge of collapse. Even without hearing a detailed explanation, one could anticipate how things had unfolded.
“Oh my, oh my!”
Leticia’s decision to leave as a demon spirit was solely driven by the desire to ensure her parents’ well-being. If her parents’ safety was guaranteed, she could let go of everything, including the understanding of her duty. Kneeling before the demon king, she pleaded with tears.
“Please… Demon King… I beg you…”
“Leticia.”
“Please save my parents. Whatever it takes, whatever it takes, I’ll do anything as you command… Please, I beg you.”
He had no intention of giving in.
Having brought her using the contract, he hoped she would only fulfill her role in bearing a child. Therefore, he should outright reject such a request as exceeding the scope. However, the demon king’s response was unexpectedly gentle.
“Don’t do this, Leticia. I will fulfill my duty as you have fulfilled yours.”
“Ah…!”
A brief joy appeared on Leticia’s face.
The conversation ended there.
Subsequently, the demon king issued a mobilization order.
For the first time in a century, the moment had come for demons to invade the territory of humans.
“Instead, insert the connection and summon the saint.”
◇
If the saint of humanity was Eubria, the saint of demons was Mar.
Unlike humans, demons did not have a society where church and state were completely separated. Therefore, the activities of those with baptismal names were relatively free compared to humans.
The fact that Mar was able to march out with the demon king’s forces and troops was thanks to that cultural difference.
“I would have preferred it if the whole family had gone into exile.”
Tsk, Mar clicked his tongue sharply.
However, even if he went back to the past and said such things, the result would have been the same. Would a sane human monarch accept the proposal to exile the royal family as demon lords? He would probably prefer killing his own wife…
It was when they crossed the border of Vaskhill.
“Huh…?”
Mar, who was casually talking without much thought, felt a strange sense of fear and halted the forces.
In front of them stretched a vast plain. No obstacles, not to mention any significant barriers, could be seen in all directions.
Was it because of his mood?
During the moment of contemplating apologizing for the inconvenience and issuing the departure order again, a voice came down from the cloudless azure sky.
“You have not mediated peace and friendship. Moreover, you have rejected turning your gaze to benevolence and law.”
“Argh…! Retreat immediately, all forces…!!!”
“I have merely sent down my sword.”
At the moment the declaration was completed, one person fell, and immediately the ground covering dozens of footsteps in the front sank.
Due to the widespread aftermath, the demonic forces that had been leading at the forefront were buried in the soil. Furthermore, the horses, driven insane, transformed into useless beings.
Mar gracefully landed after leaping off the horse into the air.
“What kind of lightning is this…”
Boom!
As Mar spread his palm, a strong gust of wind blew. Following that, what appeared in the cleared dust cloud ahead was a boy who seemed to still be in his adolescence.
In the eyes of the child standing alone, blocking hundreds of demonic forces with a cheeky appearance, emotions seemed to have been eradicated.
The object in his hand was a sword that seemed to gather only the subdued light. That was all.
Mar recognized it instantly.
“Holy…! Is he the owner of the baptismal name? But why is he so young…”
It was an eerie sight. The small figure, like a pebble, arrived in front of them without any fear as if it were natural.
“… Fine. It probably doesn’t matter. This is a sacred battle, after all.”
Following that, Mar declared.
“All forces! Pass by the boy and continue forward. I will deal with the owner of the baptismal name!”
There was no need for questions or understanding of Mar’s command. As if enchanted, they obeyed her order.
Thud!
Naturally, Harte’s reaction was monstrously fast. In sync with the swift footsteps, Mar’s declaration was uttered with unmatched speed.
“In the name of the Divine and the Spirits, the chains of darkness!”
Shrrr, Shrrr!
Chains made of darkness surged towards the boy’s limbs. Bound by the dark chains, Harte—.
Crack!
He effortlessly tore it apart with pure force.
“What…?”
It was a chain crafted by the miracle of magic. It was impossible to destroy it with the mere force of the material world. That had been the law and common sense Margar knew until now.
“You… Are you by any chance a divine dragon? Or a polymorphed human?”
“I am human. Serving the gods.”
Harte conveyed the Pope’s command shortly after the introduction.
“In the name of the Lord, execute the unholy maiden from this moment on.”
“Who is the unholy maiden… the heretic!”
Holiness manifested in the material world. On one side, golden particles, on the other, violet petals scattered.
The collision of their miracles lasted but a moment.
“In the name of the Lord and the Holy Spirit.”
“In the name of the Lord and the Spirit.”
“The chain of light.”
“The chain of darkness!”
Chains of various colors manifested from the void. The speed of the chains pursuing the target rivaled the wind.
Avoiding each other’s chains, they entwined with chains attacking fiercely. Endlessly extending chains of light and darkness formed a spiral, leaving scars on the earth.
“It can’t be… she’s just a kid. Even if she eats and trains in handling miracles, she should be more inexperienced than me at a normal age…!”
Not even the faintest trace of a smirk appeared on that innocent face. From that moment on, Margar abandoned complacency and arrogance, realizing the impending slaughter.
“Sword of war and famine, come to me.”
A miraculous sword, similar to Harte’s, manifested in Margar’s hand. Immediately after grasping the weapon, Margar plunged toward Harte.
Zzzong!
They synchronize their breathing, controlling the power to find the optimal timing.
The difference in power was stark from the first move. So the skill that Mar had honed over many years was the only card he could play.
Swoosh.
Deliberately weakening his strength, he shatters the boy’s balance. And he seizes control, unleashing a fierce kick to the defenseless torso.
Pahng!
“Ugh.”
The boy, too, exhales sharply, as if he were human.
Srrack!
The boy’s body soars into the air, piercing through the atmosphere. And Mar, too, leaps into the high sky, preparing for the second strike.
Meanwhile, enjoying the cold air of the sky, Harte’s eyes scan the vast world like a clock.
A beautiful world.
The colors of civilization that humanity has built up.
Everything that must be protected as the last bastion of humanity.
“It was so harmonious…”
The world was well-made.
Human hearts tangled and intertwined, building up civilization. The beauty of it all amazed Harte and made him feel loved.
“This world, where everything can crumble with a single gesture… it is my mission.”
The weight on his shoulders in this moment of realization is heavy.
In this moment when the cold air brushes against his skin, time seems to slow down. The holy maiden of the demons, charging forward with evil intent, and the momentum of the demon army, all seem to freeze like memories.
Harte recalled the words of the Pope who had entrusted all authority to him.
“I will follow, Your Holiness.”
Embracing his mission, Harte brandished the sword of light.
Flash!
The world on the stage of destiny vanished. A white brilliance filled the surroundings, and as if a vacuum had been created, sound and temperature were lost.
That brilliance, that intense brilliance…!
The ground cracked open. The vibrant leaves on the widespread land revealed the depths of the earth, flipping over. In addition, columns of soil, like the explosion of tremendous pressure underground, incessantly rose and sank by dozens of meters.
“Uwaaa! S-save me!”
“The world… is turning upside down…!”
“… Is this the end.”
Life constantly seeking survival without rest. Lives screaming in vain. Lives in despair. Each life with its own light extinguishing one by one.
Buried in the sinking earth, bodies become entangled, crushed by violent pressure.
“You…!?”
In an instant, Margar charged in response to the unfolding tragedy.
“Ah.”
Right after Harte’s eyes captured the adversary, the scene that awaited her was ominous.
It was the trajectory of life condensed over hundreds of years.
“Farewell.”
Even before the darkness-shattered sword could reach, her vision split into two as she crumbled.
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Vertically disintegrated, Margar’s body turned into a pile of ashes, incapable of even regeneration.
The protection of humanity’s ultimate fate turned away from the desolate end.
Having fulfilled the entrusted mission, it was now time to return.
For the protection of humanity, into the narrow sanctuary.
Forever.
◇
Hundreds of military forces met their demise.
The aftermath of that report was overwhelmingly significant.
When everyone realized that the cause of this absurd outcome was Leticia’s greed, a tremendous backlash ensued.
Not only was the death of hundreds of military forces a problem, but the loss of the colossal power known as the Saint was also devastating. Public opinion condemning Leticia, regardless of her situation, boiled over.
There were even those among the demon race who sincerely attempted to kill Leticia, unable to overcome their resentment.
“My child… Glen.”
Perhaps due to the mingling of demon blood, Glen’s growth was rapid. Already walking and understanding speech. Of course, at such a tender age, Glen was oblivious to his own circumstances.
“Can you grow up normally with a mother in such a position? Maybe sending you away is what’s best for you?”
Leticia, tainted by the bloodline of royalty, resorted to desperate measures for survival.
“The purpose of my existence is to bear the bloodline of the Demon King. So… if Glen disappears, there won’t be anyone to replace me.”
Even if she faced criticism, the threat to her life vanished. Moreover, being born as a human rather than a demon, Glen could adapt well to human society.
Seizing power in demon society as a human would be met with overwhelming resistance.
Therefore, Leticia made a firm decision.
“Survive, Glen. Survive at all costs.”
Afterward, Leticia instructed a sympathetic servant to secretly take Glen away.
Thus, the child who was both the bloodline of the Demon King and the descendant of Vasch Hill was abandoned at the Orphanage for Imperial Succession.
It has been 8 years, 10 years since then.
The child who escaped from the orphanage has arrived at this place, sobbing in the face of fate, unaware of anything.
…… However, the truth that was conveyed to Tina was fragmented.
It’s only natural since Harte only has memories of the destruction of Vasch Hill and the annihilation of the Demon Saint. His knowledge of Glen was limited to the “original work” description.
There is only one who knows everything.
Elphicia Luminell, who has returned in time.
The wheel of destiny creaked and moved.