"Miss Seren, you're insane! That armor could have been adjusted for use by another race. We've been tracking Vokard Stoner, and I don't know about that paper—it could have been Vokard's request to have it written in Ivovnian!" Okavarin exclaimed in fear.
"Killing me won't solve anything. This is exactly what the enemy wants—for all of us to turn on each other, weakening us before they strike," Okavarin added.
Seren remained silent. Launcent approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't have the courage to make decisions like this. I fear for the lives of those I care about. But Taki… my sister, she's the only one who's been like a mother to me. If it's for Taki, I'm willing to risk peace between nations," Seren admitted.
"That's why, instead of killing each other, we should focus on our true enemy. I know you're stressed because of what happened to the others, but this isn't the right way," Okavarin said firmly.
Seren took a deep breath, glancing at the soldiers of the Balrog Empire, who stood tensely as their prince's life was in danger.
"Seren, even if you're right and you kill Prince Okavarin, his soldiers will destroy us. And then we won't be able to save Taki," Launcent said.
"For a region belonging to the Numen Kingdom, you brought quite a lot of troops and even set up a camp here, Prince. What's more curious is that as far as I can see, there isn't a single soldier from the Numen Kingdom in sight," Seren said softly.
Launcent suddenly realized the oddity. They were in the Numen Kingdom, yet why were there so many Balrog Empire soldiers here, even with a camp nearby?
"...You're incredibly observant," Okavarin admitted.
"Yes, Sister Taki taught me that," Seren replied.
"The elf is still alive… for now. But the Tremor Knights won't let them go. They won't let any of you go," Okavarin said ominously.
"P-Prince Okavarin, are you saying… you're behind all of this?!" Launcent exclaimed in shock.
"No… the Tremor Knights. They carry blessings from above, providing a path for the desperate people of Balrog," Okavarin replied.
"Prince… has the Balrog Kingdom fallen that far?" Seren asked quietly.
"You be the judge," Okavarin began. "For over 2,000 years, the Nomadic People have been the bridge connecting Ivovnia with trade from the outside. 1,700 years ago, our nation was founded during the devastating Cultist invasion, when the Paladin Order fell.
We fought with all our might, opening trade routes and helping nations and the Paladin Order recover. We even willingly shared the fruits of our trade and resources to prevent Ivovnia's collapse.
But during Tamura's invasion, our nation was the first target of the Utakata forces. We begged for help, but not a single nation sent reinforcements. Instead, they suggested we abandon Neoth and evacuate everyone to Fonta Aria or Whiteford, where we could face Utakata together.
Just like that, they told us to leave behind our homeland—our hard-fought, carefully nurtured land. When this country was first established, from Neoth to Haegenum, it was all barren rock and dust, with no natural resources.
We turned it green, made it a supplier of resources to other nations. For 1,700 years, we never waged war; we only wanted to live in peace. But during the invasion, everything we built was destroyed.
Utakata abducted half of our population to be slaves in Arkhari. And after the war ended, as if their betrayal wasn't enough, you all opened direct trade routes with foreign nations, bypassing Balrog and leaving us in shambles.
Our people are starving. Our buildings are in ruins. All the services we provided in the past are ignored by every nation and kingdom in Ivovnia. We've had enough… my people have suffered enough.
Until one day, The Order of Puresworn came to my father. They offered aid, resources, weapons, and more. They gave us hope," Okavarin explained passionately.
"The Order of Puresworn… they're the organization that took over the city of Qa'stur on the continent of Merk," Launcent said.
"They sent their envoys, the Tremor Knights, with powers blessed by their god. The strength of the Tremor Knights is unlike anything Ivovnia has ever seen. They can ensure the survival of the Nomadic People and, more importantly, the Balrog Empire," Okavarin said, his gaze filled with anger.
"Kill me… Seren. But the Tremor Knights will not stop. You're only fighting the inevitable. You and your family will never understand our suffering. All the armies of the North gathered in Whiteford and Fonta Aria to fight Utakata together, and as a result, Fonta Aria and Whiteford became the two nations least affected by that war," Okavarin declared, challenging Seren to strike him down.
"No… you're wrong. Many people were killed, cities destroyed, and suffering was everywhere because of that war. Fonta Aria suffered too," Seren replied.
Okavarin burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, how amusing. I was there during the war, Seren. Even Katya Port, which was a battlefield, ended up in better condition than our villages. A child who's lived her entire life in comfort will never understand the suffering of my people. Honestly, I doubt you even understand the struggles of the people of Fonta Aria," Okavarin retorted.
Seren hesitated, doubt creeping into her heart. Okavarin seized the opportunity and reached for his sword. However, Seren's reflexes took over, and she slashed at his neck.
The strike shocked everyone present. Okavarin's head rolled to the ground, leaving the soldiers in stunned silence.
"Pr… Prince…" one of the soldiers stammered, horrified as they watched their prince's lifeless body collapse.
"You really thought it would be that easy, didn't you?" Okavarin's severed head spoke.
Suddenly, black liquid poured from the wounds on his body. Okavarin's form began to transform into a monstrous being.
Standing over four meters tall, with elongated arms and legs, his head morphed into the grotesque shape of a worm-like creature.
Without hesitation, Okavarin attacked Launcent and Seren. His punch was so powerful that it shattered Seren's sword in a single strike.
Launcent lunged with his spear, attempting to pierce him, but the weapon broke upon impact with Okavarin's fist.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Launcent muttered in disbelief.
"I'll give you another chance, Seren. Surrender, and I'll spare the elf. Resist, and… well, I'll leave it up to my soldiers to decide what to do, but I can guarantee they'll enjoy themselves with her body," Okavarin sneered, his worm-like face contorting into a grotesque smile.
Seren froze. She hadn't recovered yet, her weapon was broken, and the enemy before her was overwhelmingly powerful. Should she surrender? Could she fight back against such a foe with no hope of winning?
"What do you want? Even if I surrender, there's no guarantee that Taki and I will survive," Seren said, her voice trembling.
"I want you as my queen. I'll ensure your family is spared. Otherwise, your beautiful body will go to waste as nothing more than food for our warhounds," Okavarin replied.
Before Seren could respond, one of Okavarin's guards struck her and Launcent from behind, knocking them down.
Bags were thrown over their heads, and they were forcibly dragged to a nearby camp.
At the camp, thousands of Balrog Empire soldiers were preparing for an attack.
"With our own strength, it's impossible to win. But our god, Yogshot, has blessed us," Okavarin said, his voice filled with conviction.
He imprisoned Seren and Launcent in a cage.
"What do we do now?" Launcent asked.
"I'm thinking…" Seren replied.
"They're trying to summon an Outer God," Launcent said grimly.
"They've all been tainted with Blood Taint. We could use Attrition Bane—it would burn them all. But we'll need weapons, and before that, we need to get out of here," Seren said.
"I have an idea. I could use my Transmute Magic to extract magic from an object," Launcent suggested.
"They stripped us of our armor and weapons. We don't have anything with magical properties," Seren replied.
"…Actually, we do," Launcent said, looking embarrassed.
"Huh?" Seren asked, confused.
"Captain Taki once told me to protect you from illusions. She inscribed a Runic Inscription on your clothing—runes to prevent illusions, hypnosis, and enchantments," Launcent explained.
"My clothing? You mean my clothes?" Seren asked.
"Actually… she inscribed it… on your bra," Launcent admitted sheepishly.
Seren's face turned slightly red.
"Turn around. Now," she ordered.
Launcent quickly averted his gaze. Seren removed her clothing and handed her bra to Launcent.
"…Here," Seren said hesitantly.
Launcent took Seren's bra, his face flushing red, and began the process of transmutation to extract Magic Dust from the fabric.
"Turquoise green," Launcent muttered under his breath. "Can I keep this after we're done?" he asked jokingly.
Seren shot him a death glare, her eyes filled with the promise of violence, as if she were ready to skin him alive.
"Hehehe, I was just kidding. Alright, it's done," Launcent said with a grin.
Using the Magic Dust he had extracted, Launcent cast a Wind Gust, shattering the iron door that had been holding them captive.
Before they made their escape, Seren grabbed Launcent's arm. "If you're really serious, go and talk to Sister Taki," Seren said, her expression sincere.
Launcent's face turned red once again, but he smiled. "Once this is all over, I'll make sure to do that."