Chapter 218 : Protagonist (1)
Chapter 218: Protagonist (1)
Not even a few dozen seconds had passed after Karen Rosefield sent the Ain Kabbalah members outside the residence when Betty Scarletwood came up to the scene.
When she saw that there wasn't a single trace of blood left, Betty's eyes widened in surprise.
“So you actually chose something other than summary execution for those ruffians….”
“They were people whose deaths would accomplish nothing. Had they been evil to the core, I would have judged them regardless, but I saw room for repentance, so I spared them. Is there a problem?”
“Of course not. I'm saying you did well.”
“……”
Karen didn't particularly enjoy the strangely teasing tone she sensed, but this wasn't the time to dwell on such trivial emotions.
Without replying, she simply turned her gaze elsewhere.
“…The believers will be joining us soon.”
“Yes. The bottleneck in Arfe has been resolved as well, so they'll soon be able to provide combat support.”
“What about the Executor of Light?”
“…A Barrier activation was detected just now. He'll likely be holding back the Platinum Dawn Society executives. We've also confirmed Princess Rachel's safety, so it's about time we joined the battle as well.”
With that, Betty hoisted Rachel over her shoulder and gestured toward Karen.
“You should go ahead. I'll follow behind.”
“…Understood.”
That concluded their conversation.
The two of them leaped off in opposite directions at the same time.
The moment Karen landed on the ground, she accelerated to full speed and dashed forward.
The countless battle cries had grown so intense that even the heavy clang of her armor could no longer be heard.
.
.
.
Seven hours had already passed since the first Erosion Pillar appeared.
During that time, the balance of power at the Imperial Palace's main gate had shifted dramatically twice.
First, the arrival of the Defense Force left the Resistance outnumbered, forcing them backward. Then, with the arrival of most of the Ribenia Resistance members other than the Volunteer Army, the battle returned to a deadlock.
The Platinum Dawn Society executives, who had led the offensive from the very beginning, had already breached the main gate and entered the Imperial Palace, but the reinforcements pouring in from the rear had become so overwhelming that they could no longer advance any farther.
However, this stalemate would be completely broken within the next hour.
A large number of the Volunteer Army members who had fought against the Erosion Pillar in Parsel were now heading toward Arfe, and the fanatics of Dellowell—whose strength far surpassed even theirs—had already crossed the center of Adens.
After receiving this information from the Observers, the executives immediately reported it to Charlotte Platina.
“…I see.”
“I'll prepare to begin the final operation, Chairwoman.”
“Please do, Chris. Alu will surely commend your efforts afterward.”
“I don't care how God judges me. Your wish comes first, Chairwoman.”
Chris Bilfor said only that before charging back into the enemy lines.
Watching his departing figure with a faint look of pity, Charlotte slowly turned her head toward those resisting her.
“…No matter how desperately you struggle, you cannot change the future.”
Grinding her teeth, she barely suppressed her fury behind a face full of contempt.
“Everything has already been decided. You fools need only accept despair.”
Back then, they had been the same.
They had desperately argued until they coughed up blood, asking whether they couldn't at least rise up against Ribenia, who had betrayed them and sought to establish a new nation.
But it had been useless.
Was it because they had grown weary after endless years of war?
Or because they believed defeat was inevitable no matter how hard they fought?
They had willingly submitted.
And the Empire's answer to those who offered no resistance had been oppression.
The situation now was hardly any different.
Rulers whose outward appearance was polished while their insides had long since rotted away.
Their end deserved to be just as miserable as ours—
No.
Even more miserable.
That was the journey she had chosen to bring about that fate.
And now, only the final moment of that journey remained.
“But why…?”
Why resist?
Why continue struggling?
“If the world is going to perish anyway, wouldn't it be better to spend that time saying goodbye to your families?”
Charlotte looked genuinely puzzled.
In response, the four of them each let out a derisive snort in their own way.
“There isn't any family left for me to say goodbye to.”
“Same here. They're already all dead.”
“I only wish I'd at least known who my parents were.”
“And more importantly, why would we be saying goodbye already? We still have plenty of life ahead of us.”
Speaking last on behalf of the others, Edel pointed at Charlotte's steadily darkening face and added coldly,
“We will never give up on living, Beast.”
“……”
Those words were like a trigger to Charlotte.
KWAAAAAANG!
She crossed the distance to Edel in a single step.
Rubia and Francia moved simultaneously to block her path.
Dozens of tree trunks erupted from the ground, endlessly binding Charlotte's legs to delay her advance for as long as possible.
Crunch!
She easily tore them apart and swung the blade-like edge of her hand.
Kiiiiiiing! Kiiiiiing…!
However, Rubia's double Barrier and Francia's Barrier Sword completely prevented her from reaching Edel.
At the same time, Edel launched the Vision Magic, Headwind Pierce, straight toward Charlotte's solar plexus.
But Charlotte blocked it with her left hand almost instantly.
After retreating five or six steps, she glared at them with eyes overflowing with murderous intent.
“…The countless lives that perished because of that disgusting will to live… together, they are me.”
You have no right to survive.
And yet you continue clinging to life.
“So I'll sever that lifeline myself. Carrying the will of every dead soul.”
Before she had even finished speaking, a drastic transformation began spreading across her entire body.
“Edel Ribenia, the current pillar of the Ribenia Empire. If I kill you alone, the rest of those fools will collapse on their own.”
Her hands, already transformed into pitch-black blades, grew to more than twice their previous size until they became completely monstrous.
A thick tail sprouted along her spine, covered from end to end with vicious spikes.
“I had intended to remain conscious until the very last moment the Empire collapsed… yet it seems you vermin won't be satisfied until you hasten my death.”
At that moment—
Moving at a speed incomparable to before, Charlotte charged at Edel once again.
“You won't—!”
Francia and Rubia attempted to intercept her as before.
But this time, a gigantic tail came hurtling toward them.
Craaack!
The tail instantly shattered the once-impenetrable Barrier before sending both women, despite their defensive stances, flying dozens of meters away.
“Urgh!”
“Your Highness, watch out!”
As though determined to finish everything, Charlotte lunged straight for Edel.
Michel immediately activated both Binding Magic and Wind Magic at the same time, trying to restrain Charlotte while pulling Edel out of formation.
However—
Charlotte erected a translucent wall behind them, blocking even that escape.
“Tch…!”
Michel refused to back down and tried to retaliate.
Charlotte casually grabbed her with her right hand and hurled her over the wall before raising her remaining left hand toward Edel once more.
Then—
At that critical moment, a single shadow stepped between them.
The owner of that shadow caught Charlotte's left hand with one hand and swung a halberd with the other.
Charlotte effortlessly blocked the ambush from the newly arrived woman, but she couldn't ignore the barrage of crimson-black spikes erupting directly before her.
She used her tail to launch herself backward, retreating dozens of meters before revealing her hostility without restraint.
“…Karen Rosefield.”
“Perfect timing.”
Craaaash!
Karen shattered the wall behind her with a single punch before bowing respectfully toward Edel.
“Are you unharmed, Princess Edel?”
“…Thanks to you.”
Karen's timely arrival barely carried them through the crisis, allowing the three who had been blown away to rejoin the formation.
At last, the five heroines stood together in one place.
Without speaking, they exchanged silent understanding through their eyes.
Whatever had happened in the past—
Whatever emotions and words had been exchanged—
Those were things of the past.
They could never be erased.
Of course not.
But this was not the time to dig up old feelings.
Right now, there was only one thing that mattered.
They would survive.
Together.
Nothing else.
Watching the five heroines stare at her with unwavering determination, Charlotte let out a faint sigh.
“…Disgusting.”
Why are you looking at me like that?
You abandoned him.
You killed him.
You took everything from him.
So why…
Why do you all have the same eyes as my brother?
Why do you face me with such unwavering certainty?
Who are you placing your faith in to wear expressions like those?
“…Don't tell me it's Eugene Carter again? Are you still placing your faith in that arrogant, idiotic relic? Do you really not understand why he still hasn't shown himself?”
KWAAAAAANG!
“He abandoned all of you and ran away! He judged that the cursed bloodline of House Vladia was beyond saving! And yet you called such a foolish man your teacher! Your comrade! How utterly pathetic!”
She continued shouting at the top of her lungs, spittle flying everywhere.
Then—
“'Pathetic' is a bit too harsh, don't you think?”
Behind her, enormous shadows began to appear one after another.
Thud…! Thud…!
Between the twenty Golems, the believers of Dellowell, the Defense Force, and the Special Task Force steadily poured onto the battlefield.
Standing proudly atop the largest Golem at the center, Eugene Carter pointed his sword toward his enemy.
“The filthy bloodline of House Vladia has come here to atone and fulfill its responsibilities… so I ask you to grant me this duel, Charlotte Platina.”
It was the moment when every protagonist upon this stage finally gathered in one place.
Ignoring the enemies glaring at me, I silently observed the battlefield.
— What an extraordinary sight this is, my dear.
'I know.'
Even Clina White—the Queen of Evil Spirits herself—couldn't help saying that.
The participants gathered here were just that diverse.
It was already unusual enough that the Imperial Special Operations Force and the Imperial Defense Force, who constantly competed over military achievements, had joined forces.
Yet the people of Duel—Mallet and Dellowell were standing side by side as well.
The situation inside the Imperial Palace wasn't any different.
The elite students of Imperial Karbenna Academy and the Imperial Guards were fighting together against the executives of the Platinum Dawn Society.
Far off in the distance, the Citizen Volunteer Army was advancing toward us.
Somewhere unseen, the Bernhardt Mercenary Corps was undoubtedly watching this battle.
And alongside them marched more than a dozen Golems unfamiliar to every one of them.
Their ideologies and values were completely different.
Yet they had all joined hands here for one reason alone.
There was only one objective.
To protect what they cherished.
I jumped down from the Golem and landed beside the girls.
“Eugene… Carter….”
Charlotte, whose body had already become more than half Beast, drew a slow breath while releasing an even denser killing intent than before.
I looked around at my companions and silently nodded.
The five heroines I had come here for didn't question me.
They simply stood beside me.
And then—
“I wanted to end everything while my mind remained intact, so I could witness the Empire's complete collapse with my own eyes… What a pity.”
As though rejecting everything we represented, Charlotte Platina curled her lips into a sneer and pronounced her verdict.
“But that won't change the outcome.”
“……”
“All of you will die.”
“Here.”
It was a verdict.
A declaration.
And at the same time—
A signal.
The instant her words ended, the entire battlefield underwent a dramatic transformation.