A Cadet Becomes a Prophet?! — Chapter 187

Chapter 187

The⁠‌ night sky turned‍‍ somber, and amidst‌‌ it, the faint‍‍ glow of the‌‌ moon illuminated a red heat that shimmered in the‍‌ air.

A torrent of blood‍ flowed like churning‍⁠⁠ waves. It was‌ neither a lake,‌‌ nor a river,‌‍ much less a sea.

It was something with‌⁠ form.

A despair shaped by⁠ devouring the blood⁠ and life of‍ humanity.
A giant of‌ blood.

The⁠ corpses floating inside‍‍‌ it, along with‌ boiling, churning bubbles, made it even more grotesque and⁠ nauseating.

It⁠ was a catastrophe. There was no‌‍ other way to‌ describe it.

“…Ah.”‌‍

How‍‍ could something like‍‍ that exist in the world?

The‍‌‌ soldiers were left‌ speechless.

The‌ horses collapsed, halting⁠ the knights’ charge,‌‌‌ while the monsters,‍‌‌ soaked in blood and demonic energy,⁠ roared more ferociously.‍

The giant shook the‌‍ battlefield just by existing.

Amidst the chaos, a cold, low voice‌ rang out.

“Your‌ time has come, Your Highness.”

The traitor of Alprosen, Viscount Lorencios Sidis,‍⁠ mocked them all‌ with the moon‍ as his backdrop.

At⁠ his command, the‌ giant moved. It⁠ seemed slow, but⁠⁠ in a blink, it was already in front of‍ them.

The⁠⁠ fist—too enormous to simply be called‍‍ a fist—descended straight‌‍‌ toward the crown prince’s head.

────!‍

It‌⁠ was a simple‌‌ strike, but the‌‌ result was not.‌‍

The‍‍ sheer mass of‌‌ the body, its⁠‌⁠ weight, and the⁠ density of the‍‌ demonic energy made‌‌ it pure calamity.‍⁠

The‍‌ soldiers were thrown without even being‍ able to scream.⁠⁠‍ The mages reacted too late.

But‌ the prince still⁠ stood.

A wall of steel⁠‍ protected him.

“Who⁠ said I’d let‍⁠ things go your‌ way?”

Fernan,‌ who had erected‍ the barrier, roared‍ at the viscount.‍⁠‌

“Damn‍ corrupt, you’ll get‌ nothing you desire‌ today. Here, now,‌⁠‌ you’ll be consumed.”

“…Well,‍ so you were there. Fernan Pellenberg.”⁠

The‍ viscount stared at‌ him. Despite the‍⁠ height and distance‌ between them, their eyes locked, both⁠ brimming with hostility.‍⁠

“I’ve⁠‍ heard a lot⁠⁠ about you. Apparently,‍⁠ you’ve ruined quite⁠‌⁠ a few of our plans.”

“I⁠‌ didn’t ruin anything.‍⁠‍ I only did‍‍‍ what had to‍ be done. Do⁠‌‌ you eat when‌ worms infest your‌‌ food, without brushing⁠ them away?”

“…Worms,⁠ you say?”

“What‌‌ difference is there‍‌ between worms that‌⁠ feed on filth‌⁠ and vermin that⁠⁠ scorn gold? To‌‌ you, filth and⁠ gold are the⁠ same.”

Lorencios’s‌ face twisted at‍ the harsh accusation.‍

Then‍‍ he burst into‌‍‌ laughter.

“¡Hahahahahaha!‍‍ Yes, your tongue‌ is sharp, as⁠⁠⁠ they say. But‍ do you know‌‍ why it doesn’t‍ bother me now?‌ Because soon, you’ll⁠‌‌ be a corpse.”

────!⁠

The blood fist fell⁠⁠ again on Fernan‍‍‍ and the prince.⁠‌

Once, twice, three, four,‌ five times.

Boom!⁠ Boom! Boom! Boom!‌ Boom!

The‍ earth trembled, debris⁠ flew with every⁠⁠‍ impact.

“Hold‍ the line!”

“Protect the prince!”

The⁠‌ Knights of the⁠ Black Whale finally‌‍ responded, charging at⁠‌⁠ the giant.

─!‌

The‍ creature’s ankle burst‍‌‌ under their assault.

But‌⁠⁠ it was useless—blood‌ immediately restored it.‌‍

“¡Hahahaha!‌ Come on, come!‍ Your prince is⁠ already dea—…what?”

Lorencios‌ cut off his‌‌ mockery.

Amid⁠‍ the dust stood a steel dome,‍ unscathed.

“You…!”

The⁠‌ viscount growled at‌ the sight of‌ Fernan, soaked in‌ blood, holding a healing potion in‌‌⁠ one hand, his⁠‌ staff in the‌‍ other, and drinking‌‍ a mana potion‌ at the same time.

“I⁠ warned you, vermin.⁠‌ You’ll achieve nothing‌ today.”

Fernan⁠‌⁠ threw the empty‌‍ bottle to the‍ ground.

“…I⁠‌ admit it. I underestimated you. But‍ I swear, today‍⁠ you’ll die here.”

“Filthy⁠ traitor! You’ll have⁠‌ to go through⁠ us first.”

The⁠ Knights of the‌‌‍ Black Whale, having‌‍ regrouped, once again‌⁠ clashed with the‍⁠ blood giant.

In‍⁠ the brief reprieve,‍‍ the prince asked‌‍ Fernan urgently.

“Are⁠⁠ you alright?”

“Yes. And you, Your⁠‌ Highness?”

“Thanks⁠ to you, I’m⁠‍ still standing.”

But his lips trembled;‌ he had spent‍⁠ strength defending himself⁠ alongside Fernan.

“Damn‍‍‍ it… I need⁠‌ your help.”

“What⁠⁠ do you need?”⁠‍⁠

“I‌‌⁠ want to escape.”⁠

There⁠ was no honor‌‍⁠ in it, but‍‌⁠ it was the‍ logical choice.

Fernan⁠‍ calmly shook his‌ head.

“That⁠ won’t be possible.‍‌ Someone who used⁠⁠ thousands of corpses‍‍‍ to create this‌‌ wouldn’t leave even‌ a sliver of⁠ chance for escape.”‌

The⁠‌ prince clenched his⁠⁠‌ teeth.

“Then there’s no way out?”

Fernan‌ didn’t answer immediately.⁠ He observed.

The‌‍ runes of the⁠‌ magic circle had‌‌ vanished. All its‌ power had been absorbed by the‍‍ giant.

And‌ there were still‍ hundreds of monsters and demons, many‌ stronger after feeding‌‍ on blood.

The viscount himself still⁠‌ stood, with half‍⁠ his book intact.‌

‘If⁠‌ the prince escapes,‍⁠ the order dies.’‍

And‌‍ that would be⁠‌ devastating.

No,⁠ what Fernan wanted was something else.

To‍ see the faces⁠ of those corrupt twist in defeat.

‘I’ll‍⁠‌ block this. No,⁠ I’ll destroy it.’‌

His‍ gaze swept over‌⁠ the tide of‌⁠ creatures.

The knights, elite soldiers,‌‌⁠ Hyde, Gismond, and⁠ Luina could handle‌⁠ the monsters.

The‌⁠ problem was the‌⁠ giant.

‘Then⁠ I’ll have to…’‍

Fernan⁠ clutched Wooden tightly,‍ who struggled on⁠ his chest to‌‍ break free.

“…Alright. I’ve kept this⁠ hidden long enough.”‌‌

It‌ was too useful‍‍ and powerful to‍ keep hidden forever.⁠

And‌ now, the time‍ had come to⁠ unleash it.

“Your‍‌ Highness, would you‍ trust me if‌‍ I said there’s‍ a way to⁠ win?”

“…Whatever‌‍ it is, say⁠‌ it.”

“I just need one‍ promise.”

Fernan⁠‌ looked at him⁠⁠ with absolute seriousness.‍

“No‌ matter what happens here, swear not‍ to tell anyone.”⁠⁠

The prince raised his⁠⁠ eyebrows. A strange‌‍ request, but Fernan’s‍ expression was solemn.⁠‌

“…Can⁠ you really defeat⁠‍ it?”

“Yes.‍⁠ But I don’t‌ want this revealed.”⁠

“I⁠ understand.”

“Then,‍‌ do you promise?”

“If‌⁠ you save us,⁠⁠ how could I not promise?”

“And‍‌ if the secret leaks, I’ll consider‌ it a breach‌⁠ and demand compensation.”‍

“…What?”‌

The⁠ prince let out‌⁠‍ a disbelieving laugh.‍⁠ Even at that‍ moment, Fernan was‍⁠ talking about money.

“Very‌‍‌ well. Save us, and claim whatever⁠‍ you want.”

“Perfect.”‍

Luina,⁠ acting as a notary, raised her⁠‍‌ voice.

“I,⁠‌ daughter of Bercheff,‌ bear witness to this agreement.”

With‍‍‍ the deal sealed,‍ Fernan passed through‌ the protective formation of the soldiers and stepped forward.‌

“Go,‌‍⁠ Wooden.”

He‍ tore off the⁠ pendant and hurled‍‌‍ it ahead.

“It’s⁠‍ your time.”

Who was the real‌ giant?

What‍ even was a giant?

“Show‌⁠ them. And make‌⁠‌ that arrogant bastard kneel before me.”

— Kyuuu!

At‍⁠ the appearance of⁠ the false one,⁠‌ the real giant‌⁠⁠ awoke.

***‌‌

“W-What…‌ the hell is⁠ that?”

Crown Prince Alpion Alprosen‍‍ had thought himself⁠‌⁠ prepared.

He⁠‌‌ had already been‍⁠ stunned enough upon‍‍ witnessing the monstrous‌‌ blood giant.

Even⁠‍ though Fernan had⁠ shown confidence, what‍‍⁠ could he expect?‍

No‍‌ matter how incredible⁠ the thing Fernan‌ revealed was, he hadn’t thought it‍ would be something‌ even more colossal.

He‌⁠‌ believed it would be just some‍‌ powerful magic capable‌⁠⁠ of breaking through‍ the current situation.‌‌‍

That’s what he thought—until⁠ Fernan tore something‌ from his neck⁠⁠ and threw it.

But‌‌‌ when that “something”‌ began to grow,‍ reaching a size⁠‌‌ equal to the‍‌ blood giant—

— Kuuung!

And‌⁠⁠ when that giant⁠⁠ let out a ridiculous whimper and‍‍ started obeying Fernan’s‍‌ commands, the prince’s‌⁠ confidence collapsed in‌ an instant, all‍‌ the way to‌ the bottom.

“Ooooh…!”‍

“What‌ the hell is⁠‌ that…!”

Seeing‍⁠‍ the soldiers’ dumbfounded expressions only scared⁠‌ him more.

“…This‌‍ is a disaster.”‍

And‌‍ after showing something⁠⁠ like that, Fernan‍ expected no one⁠ to talk about‍ it?

Not‌⁠ even he, the⁠‍‌ Crown Prince himself,‌‍ was sure he‍⁠ could keep this‍‍ secret!

“…Your‍ Majesty, forgive this‍‍ unworthy son who‍ gave his word‍ too lightly, without‍ being able to keep it.”

At⁠ this rate, he⁠‌ was truly about‌ to lose the‌‍ entire kingdom’s budget⁠ for the next‌⁠ three months.