In this temporary peace, the Emperor judged.
It wouldnt be strange if the Empire collapsed.
This was true even for the capital city, Antonium.
With the majority of the Empires territory destroyed, they had no additional food procurement. For the time being, they could survive with food stored in the imperial warehouse, but after that
I see. Then it is what it is.
So even though he heard the news from the dwarves leader, Chainwalker.
The Emperor was unperturbed.
It was because he was always ready.
Ministers, listen.
The Emperor declared before his subjects.
The glorious Empire you knew has long since collapsed. To a war against the demons, to a shameful civil war. Our empire is on the brink of collapse.
!
They didnt expect that His Majesty the Emperor himself would say such a thing.
As the subject, they were ashamed of themselves.
The Emperor continued speaking to the people who bowed their heads.
Then why hasnt the empire collapsed until today? Who do we owe for the peace of Antoniums people, even if it only lasted for a short time?
If there was any disloyal subject who liked to curry favor.
At this point, they would have shouted the Emperors name.
But this was the Empire that was on the verge of collapse.
There were no brown-nosing disloyal subjects left.
Someone answered.
Its thanks to the Ray of Light in the Infinitely Deep Darkness.
The Emperor nodded to the answer.
Yes. Its thanks to the adventurer, Sir Lee Hoyeol.
In the world of adventurers, he was the one who made the rebel alliance, including the Sword Saint Shegwin, retreat from Antonium.Fôllôw 𝒏ew stories at n𝒐/v(e)lb/in(.)com
The Emperors voice became more determined.
He didnt save me, the Emperor, or Antonium, the capital of the Empire, out of special consideration. He also saved Dredsen, a fiefdom on the outskirts of which I shamefully didnt even know existed. Yes, even the adventurer did what I did not do.
Hoyeols heroic story spread through the survivors of the Dredsen Village.
From that series of experiences, the Emperor realized something.
He didnt back down in any trials. He didnt yield. He didnt make excuses. He didnt compromise. He carried out his pride until the end.
He was the emperor.
He was the center of the Empire, so he must never falter.
Hoyeol was different from him, who used the emperors position as an excuse to escape.
But now that he had realized that.
The Emperor had no intention of backing down.
Clip clop
The Emperor, wearing armor and helmet, stood in front of the cavalry.
The number of the assembled troops was approximately five thousand.
It was a selection of the soldiers who were considered bravest in Antonium.
The Emperor spoke without hesitation.
Today we will charge to the land of death.
Yeah, it was literally the land of death.
A group of elves who were willing to kill anyone who got in their way.
Crazy Urus of the Iron Arm who had terrorized the Arcana Continent and had started moving again.
The demon who was said to emit evil energy at the level of a demon king.
Sending five thousand imperial soldiers on such a battlefield?
To borrow the words of the dwarves
Really, one shot from an elfs arrow could annihilate them.
Nevertheless, the Emperor couldnt back down.
Because my people are there.
He wouldnt turn a blind eye anymore.
He made up his mind.
His destination was Polestar, a small town near the Zero Mountain.
Currently, the number of surviving people was about 3,000 or so.
Three thousand was by no means a small number.
Still, someone would say.
Arent there times when you have to sacrifice a minority for the sake of the greater good?
Is there any need for the Emperor to move to just one small city?
He wouldnt blame them for saying that.
There were times when even he thought so too.
But that was the realm of calculation.
Weighing does not exist in my dictionary.
That was not pride.
Are you afraid?
The Emperor asked.
No, Your Majesty-!
A fraudulent answer ensued.
Those who survived as soldiers in Antonium had overcome countless life-and-death crises.
Now that the Emperor was in charge of the troops. The momentum of the soldiers heading toward the Holy War seemed to soar through the sky.
Clip clop
Going into battle.
The Emperor left Antonium.
Nash William, the highest-ranking mage in the Empire, made up his mind.
Your Majesty, I will join you in the expedition.
Unlike his older brother, he couldnt even enter the Mage Tower.
Even if he joined, it wouldnt be much of help.
Nevertheless, he wanted to be helpful.
The Emperor replied to Nash.
I wont permit you.
Yes?
Nash, you are the shield that protects Antonium.
!
I have no intention of protecting myself with you as my shield.
It was a touching remark, but not for Nash.
Brother, is it true that I really have His Majestys trust?
Could it be that he doesnt use me because Im not capable enough?
In the end, he answered half-heartedly.
I, Nash William, will you obey Your Majestys orders.
*
The scenery illuminated by the telescope.
It was as Diend told me.
Indeed, the imperial army led directly by the Emperor, was heading towards chaos.
So take responsibility, Grandfel.
This is all because of you!
Its not a contagious disease or anything, seriously.
Yeah.
Again, pride was the issue.
To be honest, it was a move full of pride.
Fearing that his people might be in danger.
The Emperor personally led the troops.
It was kind of touching.
Have you finally realized it?
Still.
Dont talk to the emperor of the Empire as if hes your subordinate, Grandfel.
And this isnt something to be satisfied with!
Didnt I tell you before?
Absolutely inferior.
Including the Mage Tower, which was said to be the strongest armed group on the Arcana Continent.
The allied force, joined by all kinds of strong players, was inferior.
Was the Empire any different?
Even the Knights of Lionheart, the sword of the Emperor.
They had fallen into the reality.
I hate to say this, but.
The Empire was like a toothless tiger.
The moment someones feeling was offended.
It wouldnt be strange if everyone got wiped out, including the Emperor.
You did a good job of bluffing even in this desperate situation, Grandfel.
Theres nothing to worry about for I am here, you said!
First of all, I thought about the best thing I could do.
As I said, there was no method for me to enter the Arcana Continent. It might be different if I had saved the effect of [Map That Connects All Things]. But the effect had long gone.
Recovering it is impossible at the current level of enchantment school.
In that case.
Unlike me, Diend and Haiel could freely travel between reality and the Arcana Continent.
Getting through them was the only way.
Theres a limit to that, too.
{Uniqe spirit}, Haiel.
The dak spirit, Diend.
Even though those two were some of the strongest among the spirits.
I had no expectation they could participate well in that chaos.
Of course, Haiel and Diend.
In many ways.
What they showed was more than I imagined.
Lets say we succeed in protecting the Imperial Army.
However.
Saving the Emperor, the Imperial Army, and Polestars people.
It wouldnt end this major incident, would it?
What I wanted for this incident to somehow come to an end before all that mess slipped through the rupture into reality.
I, Diend, will follow Masters orders.
For now, I didnt change my decision to have Diend join the Imperial Army.
Then, all that was left was the great evil, the elves, and the transcendent.
Fortunately, I had at least discovered the identity of the transcendent.
Hes the rumored Urus.
Urus of the Iron Arm.
A person in the book who was said to have taken dozens of elixir pills.
The man with shaggy hair was Urus.
Because of his natural constitution that allowed him to take elixir without significant side effects, he lived a long life as a transcendent and truly transcended human being.
His reaction made sense then.
He had lived for a long time, he had seen every possible thing.
Whether I showed up at the social gathering, kicked up a fuss, or whatever.
It probably wasnt interesting to him.
Urus made a move..
I didnt know the reason, but I just hoped they didnt start quarreling with each other.
In any case, they had no self-awareness.
They were all big shots! Even if they only had a small quarrel, it would immediately become a major incident. A [battlefield] rupture probably would be created, and an emergency update might appear.
But contrary to my desperate inner feelings.
Something completely different came out of my mouth.
It may be better that way.
Hey, Grandfel-ssi.
Are you saying nonsense now that no one is listening?
But would that lofty pride care about what I think?
No, that would be right. Because it would be natural for you to come to me, not for me to come to you.
You must be crazy!
Anyway, our heir of a great family had a high standard for pride.
Whether it was a great evil, an elf, or Urus, there was no way he would feel intimidated.
This was truly his usual attitude.
However.
!
Was it thanks to that?
Being cool-headed as always, even in urgent situations.
Thanks to this, I was able to recall.
Yeah, the natural enemy relationship between me and the demon.
I have another natural enemy relationship that has gone beyond that.!
[Hierarchy of Blessing].
Two completely different worlds.
I was tied to reality, not the Arcana Continent.
Similarly, just like I how I was able to cite the [Hierarchy of Blessing] to Elsidore who was in the reality. I couldnt hope for the effect of hierarchy to work on the elves on the Arcana Continent.
However.
[Blessing of the First World Tree].
I wasnt the only one who received it.
Indeed.
There was a being who received the blessing of the World Tree and raised her status.
I didnt waste time.
Right away, I called her name.
Haiel.
*
The mountain of the beginning.
Even Zero Mountain had disappeared from the Arcana Continent.
Argentress bit his lips.
I didnt want to see this.
Argentress looked at his compatriots.
Those who had unfortunately lost their mothers blessing.
They no longer lived day by day.
Everyone was dying day by day.
An elf spoke to Argentress.
I am sorry. I missed it.
The impure gaze felt from above
That poor piece of scrap metal must have belonged to the dwarves.
Argentress had ordered him to impale the dwarfs short body with an arrow.
He never thought the arrow would miss from this distance.
It couldnt have happened except by luck.
But Argentress said.
Its not your fault.
Yes, everything was Mothers fault.
The foolish world bestower took away their blessings.
This was probably because of her.
Thrud
How would you end your worries?
Argentress looked at the being that approached him.
The appearance was unmistakably human.
But the reason he called it a being was simple.
Every time the being exhaled, he emitted a terrible stench.
It wasnt a thing of humans.
What are you glaring so hard for? What you want is simple, eternal life! I set the table over there neatly. All you have to do is be honest about your overwhelming appetite.'
Argentress and the elves took their first steps from Sisley to the Arcana Continent and had encountered numerous demons.
But this demon in front of him was something different from them.
Neither human nor demon.
A third party.
When viewed from the perspective of an elf.
Its different.
Argentress thought of the demons he had slaughtered on the continent.
All the demons were foolish and vulgar.
They were more ignorant than humans.
Why?
-P-Please spare my life!!
Humans begged for their lives.
Elf? You have a very nice body.
Demons rushed in without knowing their places.
In that sense, the demon before him was different.
Above all, the demon knew how to use his brain.
They say not all demons are the same. Im a demon with a slightly different nature. I know how you feel better than anyone else.
?
Ive lived for eternity too. Its a bit complicated.
Seven Deadly Sins.
That was how the demon introduced himself.
Then he quipped.
As for who I am among the Seven Deadly Sins, you probably dont care anyway. Ill skip the introduction. I have one suggestion. Im just trying to introduce one option.
And now.
Its simple, isnt it? Corruption can restore eternal life.
Agentress couldnt ignore his words.
As an elf, he had lived for eternity.
Thanks to this, he could feel that the other being was truly a being who had lived for eternity.
Zoom!
Agentress looked up at the thunderstorm.
Its as if youre blaming me, foolish Mother.
He muttered softly.
But the wrong choice
Argentress eyes flashed.
Werent you the one who turned away first?
He looked at his body that lost its vitality.
Ever since he heard the suggestion from the Seven Deadly Sins.
The decision he made didnt change even for a moment.
He would eat.
Okay. I hope you all like my meal.
The Seven Deadly Sins said so and pointed somewhere.
The menu is called Polestar. Please enjoy it.
Thrud
Argentress and the elves were in no hurry.
It was an insignificant human village.
Even if they noticed what was going on now and ran away, it would be pointless.
The Seven Deadly Sins continued.
Anyway, it looks like an unexpected appetizer has arrived Youre fine with that, right? Well, thats about it for our guests. I dont think theyre even worth a mouthful anyway.
Clip clop
They heard the sound of horse hooves.
Argentress opened his mouth.
Gluttony is a sin. Throw away what is overflowing.
Corruption?
Dont be mistaken.
They were just using the power of the demons.
His face distorted at the Seven Deadly Sins words, but it was only for a moment.
I will make up for my previous mistakes.
Swish!
An elf pulled the bowstring straight away.
Indeed, there was a reason why they described thousands of soldiers as a mouthful.
From the arrowhead, an uncontrollable magical power pulsated.
However.
?
The pulled bowstring never let go.
Elves, Polestar, and Imperial Army.
Something small appeared concurrently.
It was exquisite.
The Spirit King No, its more than that.
Even Argentress mistook its identity.
A spirit with an elegant appearance.
The spirit soon opened her mouth.
I, Haiel, order you according to the command of my Master.
In an extremely cold voice, as if she was a certain someone.
According to the hierarchy of blessing.
?
Stop.
!!!
Then Agentress and one hundred elves came to a standstill.