Chapter 193
Chapter 193: Ambush. (1)
Veritarun Canyon, inside the underground chamber.
“Grrrrrrr!”
“Don’t let the wave fluctuate.”
“Yes, sir!”
Around the Memorial Portal, Imperial mages drew magic circles and extended their staves forward, casting spells.
How much time had passed like that?
Crackle! Crackle crack!
The portal gradually began to shrink in size, and before long, it vanished without a trace.
“Phew... Lord Lucilis. It looks like it’s done.”
“You’ve worked hard, Denzel.”
When the oldest-looking mage spoke with a face full of exhaustion, Lucilis nodded and replied.
“Everyone, let’s move out.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Great work.”
Everyone who had participated in the subjugation walked out of the cave with relieved expressions.
“Thanks for your hard work.”
“Likewise.”
Step, step.
The Imperial Knights and the Daphne Knights walked side by side through Veritarun Canyon.
“Phew, that was really dangerous this time. You did well, Beryl.”
“Yeah. We survived another day.”
The Daphne Knights let out their own sighs of complaint.
“By the way, the Daphne Knights... What swordsmanship are they using over there?”
“That’s a first for me too…”
The Imperial Knights also chatted, reflecting on today’s operation.
Their tension had visibly eased.
Though there were still some remaining monsters inside, most of them were no real threat—hence the relaxed atmosphere.
Just then—
Lucilis, the Vice-Captain, glanced over at Hardin and then spoke up.
“Lord Hardin.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“My apologies for many things. And... thank you. Without Daphne, this subjugation would have been nearly impossible.”
At those words, Hardin smirked slightly.
‘Still, at least he’s got a solid sense of self-awareness.’
Even back in Varlach’s time, he’d seen it countless times.
People who couldn’t let go of their pride and messed everything up, even in situations where right and wrong were clear.
Especially nobles—the higher their rank, the worse they were.
But to make a mistake, and still correct it properly...
A person who doesn’t make excuses...
If he’s like that, then the guy has what it takes to move forward.
‘If they picked someone like him for Vice-Captain... maybe the Imperial side isn’t completely hopeless after all.’
Well, they must’ve had some brains to have sent us here in the first place.
“No amount of apologies would be enough. As a knight, I acted improperly in both words and deeds…”
While Lucilis was still rambling on, Hardin waved his hand dismissively.
“That’s enough. Just keep your promise.”
“Promise...?”
“You said you’d buy drinks. Don’t think you can get away with just an apology, right?”
Lucilis smiled softly in response.
“There’s no way I’d do that. Order whatever you want to drink. As promised, I’ll cover everything.”
Twitch!
At that moment, Beryl, Mikkelsen, and even Jerry—who had been silently listening nearby—clenched their fists.
“Nice.”
“We’re so screwed…”
Just how much were they planning to eat…?
Manton, watching from the side, shook his head with a worried look.
It was right as they were chatting and walking—
“Hm?”
Thud.
Hardin suddenly stopped in place and turned his head, staring intently beyond the mist.
Lucilis tilted his head and asked,
“What’s wrong, Lord Hardin?”
“…I’m not sure. I think I sensed something from over there.”
“Perhaps a leftover monster? Don’t worry. This canyon will be fully cleared out later.”
But it didn’t feel like a monster’s presence…
“Am I just imagining things?”
“That must be it. Your condition isn’t exactly great right now, is it? We should hurry. The sooner you get proper treatment, the better.”
“Ugh… yeah, fine, let’s go.”
Hardin scratched his head and replied reluctantly.
A short while later, atop the tall rocky cliffs of the canyon.
A dwarf in a crow-feather robe slowly poked his head out.
“…That guy, what is he?”
Even though he had completely concealed his presence from a long distance away…
The moment Hardin looked in his direction, he felt like he couldn’t breathe.
The dwarf exhaled deeply and muttered.
“It must’ve been a coincidence.”
There’s no way a human capable of something like that… actually exists.
‘First, I need to report this.’
He raised his hand.
Caw!
A crow flew in and landed on the back of his hand.
The dwarf whispered something into its ear.
Flutter!
And the crow flew off to somewhere else.
Right after—
“Now, the hunt begins.”
A wicked grin spread across the dwarf’s lips.
---
The entrance to Veritarun Canyon.
The subjugation force was slowly making its way forward.
“Phew… Damn, why’s this thing so long?”
“We’re almost there, though.”
Hardin grumbled, and Lucilis responded with a faint smile.
“What are you going to have at the tavern?”
“A cold beer, and a chicken leg to rip into!”
“Damn, even just thinking about it’s making my mouth water.”
The atmosphere was cheerful.
Everyone looked visibly relaxed now that rest was in sight.
Before long, the fortress near the canyon’s entrance came into view.
Boom!
“Huh?”
“What was that just now?”
A thunderous rumble echoed suddenly.
As everyone blinked in confusion—
Rumble! Crash!
“Huh?”
What is that?
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.
Something dark was approaching from beyond the mist above the canyon.
And a moment later—
Massive boulders came crashing down through the mist.
At that moment, Hardin shouted in alarm.
“Get out of the wayyy! The canyon’s collapsing!”
“Eeeek!”
Startled troops scattered in a panic.
The real problem was that no one had expected this at all.
Boom! KWAANG!
“Aaaagh!”
Here and there, soldiers who couldn’t escape in time were crushed beneath falling rocks.
“Everyone, move!”
“Help your comrades!”
Lucilis dashed around, swinging his sword to slice through boulders.
But there were obvious limits.
CRACK!
“Aaaargh!”
Even if he cut the boulders, the fragments scattered sideways, causing further casualties...
“Hahh, haah, haaaah...”
And with everyone already physically and mentally drained from the fight against Veritarun, there was no way their strikes could carry proper force… The damage only grew worse.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Another wave of boulders rained down overhead.
The speed and spread made it look impossible to dodge.
“Damn it!”
What the hell is this...
Lucilis furrowed his brow and gripped his sword.
Wuuuuung! Fzzzz...
He tried to infuse mana into his sword, but it was already depleted—his strength wouldn’t follow.
At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to cut that rock.
‘Is this the end?’
A mix of fear, tension, and resignation flickered across his face all at once.
And then—
“What are you doing?!”
“Huh?”
WHAM!
“Guhh-heuk!”
Hardin flew in from the side and kicked Lucilis out of the way.
Lucilis’s body shot off like a cannonball in the opposite direction.
‘L-Lord Hardin!’
CRAAASH!
From his spinning vision, he saw Hardin being buried under a heap of boulders.
Thud! Thump! Roll, roll...
After tumbling a great distance and landing on the ground, Lucilis hurriedly raised his head and looked forward.
In the middle of the canyon, a mountain of rubble had formed.
“Ghh... urgh...”
“P-please... help me...”
Around it, groans echoed from wounded soldiers and those trapped beneath the rocks.
And—
“Lord Hardin!”
He instinctively knew.
Hardin, the key figure of this entire subjugation effort who had saved him… was now buried under that pile of stone.
---
Beneath the mountain of rubble.
BOOM!
A rock rolled forward, and from within, a man crawled out.
“Cough! Cough!”
His entire body covered in dust, it was the blond young man—Hardin.
He scanned the area for a moment.
“L-Lord Hardin! Are you alright?!”
“What the hell just happened?!”
Covered in dust as well, Beryl and Mikkelsen came into view.
“Are you hurt at all?”
Manton asked, face full of concern.
Of course...
“Phewww, that was close, way too close. If I’d died from being dragged into this mess, that’d be such a stupid way to go.”
There were also those, like Jerry, who offered a more frank assessment of the situation.
As everyone stared silently at him with subtle side-eyes, Jerry pouted and mumbled in response.
“What? It’s not like I said anything wrong, did I?”
That brat… When we get back, I’m definitely putting him through basic discipline training again.
With a deep sigh, Hardin turned to Manton and asked,
“What about the others?”
“They seem to be on the other side of the rock pile. Looks like we’re the only ones cut off over here.”
“That so? I figured as much…”
This doesn’t feel right.
Hardin rubbed his chin, then let out a sharp sigh.
He drew the sword from his waist and, eyes narrowing, stared into the mist ahead.
“What are you all doing? Draw your swords.”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
The others looked at him with puzzled expressions, as if asking what he was talking about.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
A slow round of applause echoed from beyond the mist.
As everyone turned toward the sound, five shadows emerged from the fog.
“…What the hell is that?”
“Huh?”
Moments later, the faces of the five men broke through the mist, and the knights’ expressions hardened.
‘That man... I’ve seen him before.’
On the far right stood a man wearing a skull mask—a face they recognized.
> "If the Young Master’s goal is to insult my lord, then we’ll have to change the tone of this conversation."
Right after the war with Tread.
That man had been the envoy sent by the Duchy of Ignima to negotiate the ransom for the captured prisoners—there was no mistaking it.
And he wasn’t the only one.
“Grrrrrrrrr…”
A muscular brute with a giant’s build and troll-like features.
“Tch, looks like I just need to slice off some heads now.”
A dwarf barely looking ten years old, dressed in a crow-feather robe, with dozens of throwing daggers dangling from his waist.
“…Daphne.”
A long-haired man with grotesquely elongated arms and legs, holding a massive scythe in both hands.
Every one of them gave off a dangerous aura.
And finally, at the center of the monstrous group—stood a man with flame-red hair and drooping eyes.
Hardin glanced at him and scoffed.
“Judging by the look of you... you must be that Jubilen guy or whatever.”
“Oh? You already know who I am?”
“More or less. I figured someone like you would show up sooner or later.”
Of course, I didn’t think that “sooner or later” would mean right now.
‘They really must hate us that much.’
Hardin had kept a close watch on the movements of the Duchy of Ignima.
There wasn’t a single group that despised and tormented their house more than they did—so it made sense to stay wary.
And through that, he’d come to learn two things:
First, that Light Ignima, that 97-year-old brat, still loathed their house with every fiber of his being.
Second, that a certain branch member named “Jubilen,” who acted as the hunting dog of their family, had been snooping around their territory.
That bastard had come all the way here himself—and caused this mess...
‘Which means... he’s here to finish things once and for all.’
Hardin let out a deep sigh and stared straight at Jubilen as he asked,
“You’re planning to kill us here, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
Jubilen answered without hesitation, and the knights' eyes widened.
‘Kill us? But why?’
‘Insane... We’re already barely holding it together.’
The sheer shock that the Ignima side had been targeting them brought with it a wave of crushing despair.
“Then, before I die, let me ask a few questions.”
“By all means.”
“All the crap our house has gone through... was that Ignima’s doing?”
“I’d answer better if you were more specific.”
“I’m talking about the Calpion bastards invading us. About summoning Kreveion with a magical device. And all the countless other events that put our house in danger... I’m asking if you were behind all of it.”
Jubilen’s lip twitched at that, and then—
“Ahahahahaha! That’s rich. Truly entertaining.”
He burst into loud laughter and spoke again.
“You’re quite sharp, Hardin Daphne. All the more reason to kill you as soon as possible.”
One corner of his mouth curled upward so far, it looked like it might rip.