Chapter 87
PJhtThat was it.QUtJ
XYhuuW“Next?”G1n
W0acaIA beautiful spectacle.6IV8R
9mMpw“Next?”qqYSi4b
VK6itAnd at the same time, a satisfying one.8m8lgoe
00nO97Z“Would the next one please come up?”qyw
OmxW9vqEach time Luina’s sword danced, the knights of Altrierc fell like straw dolls.SBrzTlR
Vv8M1Her spirit, which did not yield even before a demon, would not do so before mere knights.vJWAPR
9jpCHer sword, forged in Bercheff and perfected at the Academy, shone with unmatched nobility.DtSyri
ef6Five cadets from Class 1 had already fallen to her blade, and even a knight of Altrierc who could no longer bear it had charged at her, only to kneel just moments ago.7Mi
jw6MgbThat meant Luina had reached a level far beyond that of a mere student.tlhB
c9rOr perhaps, that the knights of Altrierc were below expectations.28H
uAqOf course, they weren’t from the Order of Iron Knights, nor from Wild Blood, nor from Noble Blood, but even so, the knights of Altrierc were by no means mediocre.tyvxYrX
YmOIt was simply that Luina was in another league.fXl
OVzbIvlFurther proof that Fernan had not been wrong in believing in the prophecy book and betting on Luina Bercheff.tgjp
K3oL“Ohh.”1Bua6I3
95OZo“No wonder she won the jousting tournament…”BmJR1
Ld7uZThe murmurs of admiration only reinforced Fernan’s conviction.dZujbI
meprJ3“Still, two knights defeated by a mere Academy student?”O9PuVOZ
Ovp“What a disgrace. And they call themselves cadets of the knight academy of Altrierc…”O7Qm4
MRF4Of course, not all were praise. Just as Luina felt rivalry with Altrierc, the animosity was mutual.6w2
P0GM“I’ll go this time…”u6iKGEN
8qqgB“How about we leave it at that?”USrthv
eTPA knight tried to step onto the stage, but Grad, arms crossed, stopped him.YL0q
cTm8“She’s already defeated five cadets and two knights. Letting a Noble Blood knight fight her now would be disproportionate, don’t you think?”8Aj8
19CyThe Order of Noble Blood Knights was one of the three great orders of Altrierc.Dqym
nx1HORvPerhaps a bit below the Orders of Iron and Wild Blood, but not for lack of quality.NOTPQs
gKwhar“Right, Luina?”2oAc6Vm
BlxC6P“Yes, that’s true.”mh6Dv
734eFBContrary to the firm voice with which she had called for the “next,” Luina obediently sheathed her sword.sYwn8
rKkBack in the improvised waiting room, she sat down to wipe her sweat.sF9P
plk“Professor Grad holds you in high regard.”NudYK
Z1VhMi“Since when were you there?”EY2af
0N0jThe low voice at her ear startled her.cSe6CD
Fjq98“You can’t even sense my presence?”A5aa0
faLUkQy“I thought you’d sit next to me, not whisper in my ear.”eoMaY6z
BmYXReFWith her face slightly red, she touched her ear.UoA
ErSF9ohFernan offered her a chocolate, and Luina accepted it without hesitation, eating it immediately.AAMg
HUr0Xx“Were you sure you’d win?”G642x
YoSwGa“What do you mean?”3VA1X7
HoZhF“Don’t play dumb.”omOfv4L
rZa6tL“I’ve never faced a Noble Blood knight, so I don’t know…”MXj
ziX“But?”pCnFYX
pZDYq“If they’re at the level of Bercheff’s Crimson Lion Knights, yes, I would’ve won.”Vyt7Yu8
dOTQsL3In truth, Grad hadn’t stopped the match to protect Luina, but to protect Altrierc. Though she was Bercheff’s heir, she was still just a student.Du2ii
2KcBQThey couldn’t allow the backbone of Altrierc to suffer the humiliation of losing to someone like her.KsFmzDb
gm7RAfter all, they were rivals, not enemies. And while they were on Altrierc’s land, appearances had to be maintained.NN0
a2KdAt that moment, another Academy student stepped onto the stage.PcAlx
rEbgPb“I’m Aint Armian, first year. Pleased to meet you.”w9S
Pn2mKN“Armian?”bcsxw
H6a8“Aint Armian?”ie8mzVT
XGMfukN“Now that you mention it, it’s been almost a century since an Armian entered the Academy, hasn’t it?”l6qFsBU
HpQDThe surname sparked murmurs of anticipation among the cadets.Buy
95kluID“I want to face the Armian and see his sword!”QpF3
vyVI“Me too!”nrh372c
j0cj4n“…Ahem, one at a time, please.”XWxs
KkylzAnd the duels continued.XfBCS
kv2rs6f***LgRQi
joIAoWf“My lord.”xkap
8yjKGCxThe butler approached and whispered. The count of Altrierc’s brow furrowed slightly.MdOWS
NeJ“It seems the duels between the Academy students and our academy are over.”va5qM
oUVop“Oh, really?”L1sMk
JlXYCpx“They say all of the Academy students won.”6DE
IBQ08v5“Am I supposed to be surprised?”krf69Ak
ZfO“It’s not surprising, it’s logical. Though I admit it stings the pride a little.”U9CndXk
egfpBFC“I don’t see why it should.”Wz2PVF
D1sThe one who responded, with an impassive face, was Rosalia Bienderk.YijoWI
hIVoRB“In the end, what we gather here are those who couldn’t get into the Academy, isn’t that right?”DOG8
dF3j2o“That’s true.”oSLAH6
jlUCThe count nodded.uHAs
Qk1Bp“Of course, no one says that out loud in front of me.”WvMfpk
l3o“The tea has a pleasant aroma.”jk8yvfu
Zehjv3A heavy silence followed.cw6Ga7
3hml2u“I didn’t expect a single one to win. And they say Luina Bercheff defeated not just cadets, but even two knights.”Tx0w
HBmyPK“All of them are among the top three of their generation. And Luina was this year’s jousting tournament champion.”3YwCM
0ro5The level difference was clear, but that didn’t mean Altrierc was in decline.ILjFys7
cG0RAfter all, many of their knights were also Academy graduates.3ZvW2U
ecnygG“But they’re still first- and second-years.”NcRz
GgNeCb“Talent transcends age.”7cT0N6
vDJq“And how is the duke?”KLF6D8d
tFL“I am not Duchess Rosalia Bienderk now, but Professor Rosalia. Don’t forget that, sir.”i36xi5g
vXSC“My apologies.”IxpW4L
8btHxTz“Then, the departure will be in two days.”qJ7J
s5F“…Departure?”FNvk
a13qMCFor the first time, Rosalia’s mask of serenity cracked.2Lqv
Ejc6“With all due respect, wasn’t our mission to support the defense from one of the fortresses?”sjGl
HWwwg9“It was, but the plans have changed.”YnbHI
IuR8“So suddenly?”zHx6f5
hFA“At dawn, in two days, you will depart for the Taklakan Desert.”minw
PVda“What does this mean?”FIwCb
vHO“The Order of Iron, Wild Blood, and five hundred elite soldiers will accompany you.”YZPM
fUDicRosalia’s eyes widened. With that kind of force, they could easily overrun a minor kingdom.5kQp
d1yP2“And for what purpose?”Tpjlp54
IfrxB“Even I don’t know.”kl1
JkSqH“…Excuse me?”K2g
IwY“That was a joke.”CJYOrdm
mnZfThe count let out a low chuckle, but Rosalia didn’t smile in the slightest. It wasn’t funny at all.y3f0
XILb6vB“My lord.”eLB
aI3ouPw“You resemble your father greatly. No wonder you’re a professor at the Academy at your age.”lLhu
FUAipN“My lord.”Rokw3
sufFc1“If you want answers, don’t ask me. Ask one of your own companions. It was one of them who altered the plan.”HB2D
5Rk“…One of my companions?”g70g0Wr
1kk2ecIt couldn’t be Grad, who exuded laziness down to his bones. That left only the students.1a20J
nf6JhAnd among the students, only one could have moved something like this.2FBmcA
2ucas3“Fernan Pellenberg…”xf43
uguHhX5The count shrugged, as if confirming her answer.8GEwoSp
qLCugi***inr
mAqBleX“Explain yourself.”3W94yR
jW5Q“I found a lead on the Corrupteds. I shared it with the count, and thanks to that, we were authorized to take part.”2Zbjg
f5NFWith that concise explanation, Professor Rosalia didn’t ask why the professors had been left out.b4bd
N5HkBShe simply asked the next question calmly.5d0l3e9
muHc“And what is this lead?”WFQ
Vec“It’s about a Corrupted who summons monsters. He uses life as a sacrifice to call forth new spawn. And what kind of life can be found easily in the Taklakan desert?”h3lsy9w
h9ikaxe“The desert clans.”lajipU
DKoThere were the Empire and Alprosen, but both resisted behind walls. In comparison, the nomadic desert clans were far more vulnerable.Pag1H
5ijEGf“So the goal is to intercept him in advance.”wqrs4k7
sdzcud“Yes, that’s right.”EyUXUo7
Rll7I“Not a bad strategy.”Z5jt9
Gl8SNRosalia pulled a black cigarette from her subspace and lit it.THzwaKF
9niwc“Tired?”1wTf
dtn7uk“I wasn’t, but that boy named Fernan has tired me.”2gNzx
cwhlECChack. The ember lit.yGeHoSi
jxBwX“What do you think, Professor Grad?”65KVgH6
kURwQ“What else can we do?”AQdV
wbxgARGrad shrugged.r9D
bPRS“If the count already decided, we have to obey. Even if the source is dubious, if it’s true, it’s a smart move.”JLeeGuX
E9Kgsj“I can’t reveal the source, but the information is reliable.”Ko7V
XI6AZOX“I’m not saying you’re lying. You wouldn’t be stupid enough to make something like this up.”ctVX
hf3EluIHe was right. Since the decision had already reached the count, there wasn’t much the professors could do to reverse it.0gfc7Zw
XRV“Then it’s settled.”qeza
Cgwyl“That means extra work for us. We thought it would be a wall defense, and now we’re doing a blitz operation in the desert.”efR
35Tbf“Everyone, gather up!”01O98yg
x9ylqYGrad’s voice thundered.e512Sg
WXL***Glj
itkR5Meanwhile, in the desert.FyiyiSf
yo9EKTatatatata—DIlm1
hEz4A red horse kicked up sand as it ran. Bairan Osmond covered his mouth and nose with his cloak, shielding himself from the sandstorm.jYSnCfk
AhuT‘Damn desert.’mQi77X1
lvtZThough after accepting the power of the Great Ones he no longer suffered from heat or cold, the desert was still unbearable to him.bKKxgMR
seYCzML‘But it ends today.’YTV
Ed7WhHe only needed one thing.GzI2
wdhO5oVAint Armian.W58b
xrHTThat cursed bloodline which, unfortunately, had managed to banish Andromalius. If he killed him, it would all be over. His miserable life in the desert would finally end.SyoO
T49PFlBy eliminating his enemy, he’d gain recognition, and the Great Ones would raise him to a higher rank.CTI6
wIU‘Damn, I’m running out of time…’LlZ7
drUTSMost of the sacrifices he had spent years preparing for his summons had been consumed in the Monster Wave. He’d gathered what he could from corpses, but it still wasn’t enough to ensure Aint’s death.wYG5YYl
0YPe6sF‘Even if it was luck, that bastard killed Andromalius. I can’t afford to underestimate him.’Gwj
xiwEXHe needed even more monsters.c6oAEX
lWJQcMgAll that was left was to separate Aint from Altrierc’s forces. If he had enough creatures, he could isolate him.qQ55Lz
L0Q5GRU“Finally.”YjRk
6eC45pEIn the distance, through the storm, he spotted the yurts of a desert clan.rEY
sENRP4“This will be the fifth.”lY34k
LZIxAfter the Wave, most clans had fled south. That had been possible only because he had allowed it — he needed them alive as sacrifices.N7ecR
xlZ“I should’ve gathered them all in one place.”jMFjZj
wIK347NNow they were too scattered, and hunting down just five clans had taken longer than expected. His original plan was to collect at least ten.h7vDMU
lYk5‘It’s already been a week. There’s no time left. I’ll have to settle for five.’XNe3fw
EshG5KThough it troubled him, he couldn’t waste the chance now that Aint was walking into the lion’s den.PCPF
S2NBB“Stop!”OMFu
XemkJj“Halt there!”Iitqd
enwgThree warriors from the clan appeared at the village entrance.WQkmd
xHfBairan didn’t stop.1HkuIb
zthnJ7r“I don’t have time to waste on insects.”7ie
8SBHe blew a whistle charged with demonic magic.jEOzfl
Qb17Fwoooosh!jx0XHc9
O6QyUjNMonsters emerged from the sand like hungry sharks.HmeI4R
RIeAt the same time, he unleashed a torrent of magic at the guards. He was certain that in an instant they’d be corpses to feed his beasts.zBp
irlH2mc‘…Wait.’J2FE4u
gB234JThe aura he felt in front of him wasn’t that of ordinary warriors. Something was wrong.QTK1BTF
FtVvpVClaaang!yOYwg
fVhAn icy slash deflected his magic.ftiGU
agWs“What…?”NMeFGhS
SoPmAgZThe impact was so strong it forced him to stagger back.HiHIXm
4VdBefore he could react, his opponent’s sword coiled around him like a serpent.V16mpn1
cqqxUClang! Clang! Clang!7O0TS7
glPxXKTSparks flew in a flurry of five clashes. Taking advantage of the recoil, Bairan leapt from his horse and retreated.P3K9p
bRx“Who the he—?”ZHcO
UpOuThen he noticed it. The desert heat had vanished. The monsters stood frozen.z2GN
B6cnB7dEverything was locked in a world of white ice.YzDL9D
TO0Huc“…What the hell…?”bAT
Gbv0vA glacier, a prison of ice, had risen around him.cx92Z
VrcVbeAnd in that very moment, a rumbling shook the ground.S5tG2FT
jwBTatatatata!llnK
7Jym7But they weren’t monsters.N6xYN
YKNThey were hooves.7VWkNTq
4dPQ9Rhythmic.fF7LjKg
IxV7“…The Order of Iron? The Order of Wild Blood? What are they doing here?”7I1nxB6
c6lMUmThe two most powerful orders of Altrierc.6KZDOb
PHkd9HA“What are we doing here? Very simple.”AhnAtbe
AgmA harsh voice rang in his ears.ep3
Ti19Lw5“We’re going to do to you what you planned to do to them.”3OK
qh7EAnd a massive block of stone came crashing down on his head.rJpLXh
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