Chapter 113
Chapter 113
Megarexor was moving together with the holy paladins of the Semerune Order.
He could not intervene in the war in the eastern territory due to his duty as an imperial escort, but now he was not bound by any such restrictions.
More than anything, there was a matter he had to handle personally, so he had no choice but to step forward even more aggressively.
"Hey... This time, you've brought quite a large force."
"We need to subjugate the dragons and the monsters, don't we? Even with this, I cannot say it's enough."
Ronit voiced his concerns, reminiscing about the battle in the northern territory.
Back then, three powerful individuals joined forces to face a single foe.
Because of that, they finished things quickly, but just because they had more strong fighters now didn't mean victory was guaranteed.
"At least this time, no one will die because of the curse."
"... I was a bit shocked back then. Didn't Alter Radiant fall into critical condition?"
"Somehow, he survived. And isn't that why we defeated the dragon?"
"I can't deny that. We achieved peace through all the hardships we endured, did we not?"
"I never thought it would turn out that way. No matter how skilled he is, I still wonder how he managed to block the breath attack..."
Even Megarexor had questioned the outcome.
For a single human, neutralizing such power was a daunting task, and even the great mage's apprentice couldn't transcend his limits.
Nonetheless, since Alter Radiant had proven his overwhelming prowess, he must have been chosen as the next great mage.
"Perhaps it's only fitting, being Uriel's son. Maybe... he's even greater than Uriel."
"Even Uriel couldn't block a breath attack. But with her personality, who knows."
"Uriel's character was brave—at least that's what I want to say—but to me it often felt reckless. If so, I suppose she'd challenge a dragon head-on."
"She certainly was reckless. In all my life, I've never seen a woman like her."
"Sounds like there's a story behind that."
"Would you believe it if I said she stood in my way?"
"Uriel did that?"
"Even when I drew my sword, she didn't back down. At the time, I thought she'd gone mad."
"Sounds just like Uriel. In my case, she impeded the Church's advance."
"What? So what did you do about it?"
"I told her that if her decision was wrong, I'd cut off her head. In the end, it turned out I was the one who made a mistake."
"Haha! She caused trouble no matter where she went, didn't she?"
Megarexor let out a hearty laugh, briefly lost in the past.
He still couldn't forget her face and voice.
Their first meeting had been so strange, and even the news of her death was hard to accept.
If only she'd stayed in the capital, maybe she could have lived a bit longer.
'Ah... She died so long ago, and yet she still hasn't left my thoughts. Good grief...'
Megarexor naturally suppressed his turbulent emotions and revealed a determined gaze.
She had already married the duke of the north and was nothing more than an acquaintance to him now.
In the end, she left behind only one child, but now that child was stacking up achievement after achievement.
'He really does resemble you in many ways, but it's not difficult dealing with him. The fact that he's her son must be the reason.'
So, for a moment he hesitated, but the current reality awakened him.
When someone you once had unresolved feelings for returns, you can't help but be entangled again.
No matter how high a swordsman rises, as a human, he cannot turn away from matters of the heart.
'To leave behind such an accomplished son and go first...'
"With things as they are, I'd like to confirm in advance: do you have any thoughts on how to subjugate the dragon?"
"Dragons aren't easy to wound, so it'll be troublesome. Grafden the Deep is quite tough, isn't he?"
"Compared to other dragons, his scales are thicker. They say his shell doesn't even get scratched."
"But I heard he's slow, so we won't be pushed back one-sidedly. The problem is the monsters around him."
"Exactly. They're all large monsters, so the soldiers won't be able to handle them."
"... We can only hope for a little luck, then."
"What kind of luck are you talking about?"
"The youngest from the grand ducal house is coming, so let's hope he sweeps them all away at once."
"If he's the next great mage, maybe we can hope for that... But I can't guarantee the outcome. Grafden the Deep can use breath, can't he?"
"Just because we're afraid of the breath doesn't mean we can sit it out. There aren't even many strongholds, so we'll have to accept some sacrifices."
"Many lives will be lost again, I suppose."
"What can you do? No human life lasts forever."
Megarexor often chose the method of sacrificing a few for the survival of the many.
They say you shouldn't weigh the value of life, but you can certainly count how many are at stake.
If you become obsessed only with the sanctity of life, the resulting losses will only grow.
'Now that I've come this far, I'll have to deal with that one, too.'
Megarexor was convinced that the Knight of True Flame would show himself.
Since he'd absorbed a dragon's magic out of a craving for power, he'd commit the same atrocity again.
Desires endlessly sway the heart, and in the end, you're never satisfied with what you have.
'So, did you become as strong as you wanted? Show me what you've got, you fool...'
* * *
Alter was inspecting the defensive line with Brillie Illenat.
While castles had been constructed in the southern region, they were no more than relics from the past.
At present, they weren't used for defense, and there wasn't even a structure to form a proper frontline.
"This seems dangerous, doesn't it? If just one side is breached, everyone will die."
"We could retreat, but... there's no castle that can serve as a central stronghold. There are very few supply bases as well, so getting supplies will be difficult."
Even Alter recognized that the situation was unfavorable.
Not only compared to the northern territory, but even drawing a comparison to the eastern territory felt unworthy.
In those two zones, castles and troops had been reinforced along the front line, and food and equipment were regularly provided from supply bases.
But in the eastern territory, even the basic requirements were unmet, so they were constantly under pressure.
"There aren't that many soldiers, either. Even if reinforcements arrive, who knows what might happen."
"The lack of an overall commander is a major issue. Without one, the troops will never unite."
"I've fought in many places, but I've never seen such chaos. What are we supposed to do here?"
"Rather than doing something, we'll have to consider how many soldiers can survive."
"Many will die, won't they?"
"Yes. I expect the casualties to exceed even those in the eastern territory."
In the northern territory, they suppressed the golems and yetis using the power of the Frost lineage.
In the eastern territory, they had to abandon the castle in the end, but elite troops managed to slay the dragon.
But now, they were pushed fully on the defensive and were bound to take losses no matter what they tried.
"Can't the mages do something?"
"Even if they hold for a while, we won't be able to prevent the lines from collapsing. And... I'm not able to give orders to the society's mages myself."
"That's understandable. You're young and lack experience."
"We should leave that to the society head. He'll handle it better than I could."
"But if something goes wrong, won't you have to take responsibility too, Alter?"
"Still, as the next great mage... I'll have to take responsibility."
It felt rather unreasonable, but Alter accepted even that.
No matter how hard you try, you can't be perfect in every area.
He was only acknowledged for his ability as great mage, but that didn't prove his experience or honor.
Standing in this vague position meant the risks would always outweigh the rewards.
"I thought a great mage would at least understand this much."
"He knew and sent me anyway. He must've thought this is part of becoming a great mage."
"Haa... If this is how it will be, it would have been better not to become a great mage."
"But it's still the title of great mage, isn't it?"
"It's unfair to have to take responsibility for things I didn't do, isn't it? Is that title really so great?"
"Uh... It's not something just anyone can have."
"It's not like I'd starve if I didn't become great mage, right? Even if things got tough, I could just take care of you myself."
"That would put me in a difficult position, wouldn't it?"
"So what? Isn't that what marriage is all about?"
"..."
Alter hesitated for a moment, then soon nodded.
To live together, you have to accept whatever comes your partner's way.
That's the basic consideration for one's spouse and a means to build a family life together.
"But I have my pride, so I can't give up this easily."
"Are you trying to show your pride even in front of me?"
"Should I show weakness before my fiancé?"
"Hmm... I can't ignore that, I guess."
Brillie Illenat suddenly remembered the first time she met Alter.
He was quite passive then and immediately brought up breaking off their engagement.
Compared to those days, he'd become much bolder—it filled her with quiet pride.
"Still, don't risk your life out of stubborn pride. Can you at least promise me that?"
"Yes. Pride is meaningless if I die."
"And one more thing. Don't step forward to block breath attacks. Even though you blocked it before, it looked like it was really tough for you."
"I'm not confident about that either. Even if I block it, I won't be able to participate in combat for a while."
The very idea of neutralizing a breath attack was flawed to begin with.
Dodging was the most efficient option, and only when that became impossible should one take a defensive stance.
Of course, soldiers could get caught in the attack, but one mustn't get fixated on that.
A single moment's decision can determine the outcome of a war.
'I can't save everyone. If we lose the war, that's the end.'
If they succeeded in subjugating Grafden the Deep and the monsters, most of the humans would survive.
But if the enemy invaded the empire's territory, everything would be destroyed.
So some degree of troop loss was inevitable in the pursuit of victory.
'If the Sword Saint and holy apostle join us, we could try a counterattack.'
First, they would have to clear out the monsters and then carve a path to approach Grafden the Deep.
Grafden the Deep was slow-moving, so launching an offensive wasn't difficult.
It was just that his thick scales and shell demanded tremendous power to pierce.
'Grafden the Deep is seeking out ley lines. Normally, he'd stay at an extreme point and just endure, but...'
In the future Alter had seen, the cause of this crisis was revealed.
Grafden the Deep had been feeding off the vital energy of the ley lines.
But now, he'd been excessively tearing at the ley lines and, unconsciously, fallen into a state of constant hunger.
'He's being controlled by another monster. If we just take out that monster, we should be able to stop him from advancing.'