Chapter 119 : Bring It
Chapter 119: Bring It
“No.”
Berje shook his head.
“I have never seen you before.”
“Have you really never seen me?”
Daphne leaned his head closer.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
As if. There had been two times.
He had looked down on Daphne with the authority of the tower when Daphne had come right up to its vicinity searching for it, and he had also run into him while looting the secret vault of the Hilderan nobles together with Ernan.
However, at the time, both Berje and Ernan had concealed their faces as much as possible with robes.
“You are getting on my nerves. Are you picking a fight?”
“Lord Daphne. Lord Pale is my companion. Any further rudeness would be troublesome.”
“···If that is so, I apologize. It seems I was mistaken.”
The aura felt familiar.
He muttered uncomfortably and turned his head away again.
‘I should be careful.’
It was not that he had seen the face directly, but that he had sensed the aura. At the very least, while this subjugation continued, there was a need to rein in his aura carefully.
“Have you ever met Daphne before?”
He shook his head at Hillan’s whisper.
“No such thing.”
“Really?”
“Do you want to die?”
“Khmm, no.”
“Ah. And there is another Star as well, but···.”
“Why are you watching my face? ···Wait.”
Rozel’s face crumpled sharply. At that moment, a woman with blue eyes and blue hair lightly descended.
“Are you calling me a fucking bitch?”
“You are still the same, calling names so vulgar.”
Your face was ugly.
A coquettish laugh rang out. After passing Daphne, she smiled brightly at Hillan and Berje.
“Hero, Hillan Cargill. This is our first time meeting in person. I am Aina Diaphrin.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Hillan Cargill. It is an honor to meet the famed water mage in person.”
“I heard you had a smooth tongue, and it is true? You are quite different from the gorilla next to you.”
“Why do you go out of your way to say you want to die?”
Flames surged up. At the same time, a splash of water erupted. Just before the opposing powers collided, Hillan and Daphne severed the flow of mana.
“I understand that the two of you are not on good terms, but could you please be mindful of the time and situation?”
“There are members of the imperial family right ahead.”
At those words, Rozel Charnte ground her teeth and canceled her magic.
“I was only defending myself because I had no choice to begin with, you know?”
Aina shrugged her shoulders.
“But who is this person?”
“Pale.”
“So this is the man rumored to be Rozel’s man?”
“···What did you say?”
“Ah, it was just a metaphor. To be honest, I wondered how impressive human mana could really be.”
‘This is the real thing. I can understand why Rozel and the Arkan Kingdom are going crazy over him.’
“Just like the rumors, he really is like a spirit. It is a bit unsettling that he resembles a fire spirit of all things, though. How does one come to possess mana like this?”
Pure mana transformed the density and quality of magic. Greater amplification, faster casting, and more reliable efficiency.
It was not strange at all that mages—no, all those who handled mana, including knights—were fervent and obsessed with purer mana.
“Do I need to tell you?”
“It would be better if you did, wouldn’t it?”
“Get lost.”
“If you cannot say it here···.”
Aina slowly approached. A pale white hand brushed Berje’s shoulder. Blue eyes gazed steadily at him.
“Shall you tell me somewhere else instead? I am fine with anywhere.”
It was a heated temptation.
“Do you always get what you want like this?”
“That depends on who the other person is, wouldn’t you say?”
The hand resting on his shoulder moved softly toward his cheek. Berje knocked it away.
“At the very least, you do not seem like someone who would be my match.”
“Do you not know who I am?”
“Do I need to?”
“It does not seem like you truly do not know.”
Her eyes curved into an arc.
“Very well. I do not feel like clinging even to someone who clearly dislikes me.”
“Doing everything by yourself, singing and blowing the horn.”
“A man who stays cold to the very end is not particularly attractive.”
“A woman who clings on pathetically to the very end is not attractive either.”
“···You are the first to treat me like this.”
“What is with that cringeworthy theatrical tone? Are you not embarrassed even saying it yourself?”
“The other men were beside themselves, though?”
“Do not be a nuisance and just get lost.”
“Well, the gorge is wide, and there are plenty of opportunities.”
Diana left behind a regretful expression and disappeared. Daphne followed after her.
“Those two do not get along?”
“Yes.”
“They are not dragons, so it is not because one is fire and the other water, is it?”
“···Um, there are various other reasons, but I understand that to be the fundamental part.”
“They are really making fools of themselves.”
“Even so, their abilities cannot be ignored.”
“You can tell that just by looking.”
She was a woman on the same level as the so-called Archmage, Rozel Charnte. In other words, Aina was also an Archmage who had engraved seven sigils.
It was then.
“Monsters···?”
An ogre that had been leaping down along the side of the gorge fell straight down, roasted whole.
The mercenary who had been announcing the monster attack stared blankly.
As if that was not enough, fireballs rained down on the monsters visible in the distance.
A calamity unfolded before the trolls’ eyes.
“She looks extremely angry.”
“At the very least, she will not half-ass a fight.”
He had not liked the idea of them being half-hearted because she was not being paid anything, but this was not bad.
“Just before reaching the center, I should consider putting the two of them together once more.”
“Are you a devil?”
“The term devil is just a name humans attached because they fear the demon race too much.”
Berje smiled in satisfaction.
* * *
“You spent a lot of money.”
The Third Prince muttered after checking the Second Prince’s troop composition.
“There is no reason not to use what is overflowing.”
It was impossible to even guess how much money had been poured in to hire over a thousand mercenaries.
Especially when their quality was nothing like a bunch of half-baked fools.
“Is that so?”
“Would you throw away the imperial throne just because you begrudge the money to pay mere mercenaries?”
“Then why do you wish to become Emperor, brother?”
“Is it not even more ridiculous to think that becoming Emperor needs a reason?”
The Second Prince pulled out jerky from his chest and chewed on it.
“If that is all the resolve you have, why not just step aside? If you hand over all the nobles supporting you, I will at least take responsibility for your retirement.”
“I cannot force them. And I have no intention of giving up.”
“Hillan Cargill came looking for you, and you hid it for quite a long time. What did you prepare during that time?”
“If you ask the First Prince, he will answer you.”
“So you did prepare something to use against the undead, and you poured it onto the ones who attacked you instead?”
“Yes.”
“Kheh heh heh, now I am really curious to see that damn brother’s face.”
With a frivolous laugh, crumbs of jerky scattered everywhere. Martin removed the pieces stuck to his face without any change in expression.
“By the way, you do know the way, right?”
Floyan glanced back at Hillan behind them.
“Have you ever driven a carriage?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“There is a saying among coachmen who drive carriages. If no one says anything, you go straight.”
“What kind of bullshit is that?”
“We just need to keep going straight. If we need to go in a different direction, Hillan Cargill will tell us.”
“If that is the case, that is reassuring, but···.”
“Do not worry. I will make sure that you do not regret joining forces with me, brother. That is the biggest reason, is it not?”
“Hm, you really are smart. Daphne Phillian is finding the path quickly, but compared to Hillan Cargill, who actually knows the way, he still falls short.”
Still, this was unexpected.
“Not sure why, but since Hillan Cargill came looking for you from the very beginning, I thought there was a high chance he would side with you. But how did you recruit Rozel Charnte? No matter how much money you shoved at her, she is not the kind of human who would move for that.”
“She does not look at money.”
“I know that. I am asking about the *other* thing, aren’t I?”
“It is a secret.”
There was nothing to tell in the first place. He had not been the one to recruit Rozel Charnte.
“As your older brother, let me give you some advice. It is better not to have secrets between siblings.”
“Could you tell me the location of the secret vault owned by the Blue Rose Merchant Company?”
“Tsk, back in the day, you were cute enough that I enjoyed keeping you around.”
“You always tried to make me into your subordinate—.”
Screee—
An arrow flew in with a piercing shriek.
Clang—
The Second Prince’s escort knight knocked the arrow aside.
“···Right.”
That was the beginning. Dozens of arrows poured down all at once. Stones falling from above the gorge rained down on them.
“It is an ambush!”
“Block them!”
The mages protected the imperial family and nobles with magical barriers. Soldiers raised their shields to block the arrows, and knights struck away the falling stones.
“Which son of a bitch—!”
“Your Highness! Are you unharmed?”
“I am fine. Capture those bastards immediately and force them to kneel before me!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The knights and mercenaries on the Second Prince’s side charged out in pursuit of the attackers.
“Perfect timing, you bastards.”
Rozel Charnte, who had been looking for somewhere to vent her anger, took flight. Brilliant flames dyed the gorge red.
“After the two battles, Marlene stopped interfering with me. Those must be the First Brother’s dogs that followed you, right?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so. I was wondering why they were slower than expected despite having Hillan Cargill with them.”
Tsk, the Second Prince clicked his tongue.
“Let me give you one piece of advice as your brother. You have to wipe out insolent bastards completely. Show mercy, and they become a nuisance like this.”
“I know.”
“Knowing and not acting is the height of stupidity.”
“Eradicating them entirely would delay us too much.”
“Then this time, I will do it for you. Consider it a gift for forming a temporary alliance.”
After all, you are doing a good job guiding the way.
A short while later, Daphne returned after driving off the attackers and stood before Floyan.
“Lord Daphne.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I will give you all the mercenaries. Can you chase them to the end and wipe them out?”
“No one can escape my sight. Especially in a place overflowing with monsters like this.”
“That confidence is good. I hope your skill matches it.”
“At the very least, I deliver value equal to the money Your Highness paid.”
“There is a high chance they are knights of the Osrian Ducal House, you know?”
“In places like this, mercenaries are more adept than knights. And above all, I am here, am I not?”
“Very well.”
“Your Highness! I beg your pardon, but if you send everyone to pursue them—.”
An escort knight urgently tried to stop Floyan. Realizing what he was worried about, Floyan let out a scoff.
“It is better to be certain than half-hearted. And I know my younger brother better than anyone. Is that not so?”
“Of course.”
The escort knight was worried about Martin trying to harm the second prince.
“And even if that were not the case, are my knights really that weak?”
“No, Your Highness!”
“We will stake our lives to protect Your Highness!”
Daphne Phillian led the Second Prince’s forces and pursued the attackers. Rozel Charnte, who had not yet finished venting her anger, joined in as well.
“We will keep moving. They will catch up on their own.”
A week later, a dust-covered Daphne Phillian returned.
“We could not completely annihilate them. However, they will naturally meet that end.”
According to Daphne, the only survivors were part of the White Lion Knight Order, and they had abandoned the pursuit after stepping into the territory of monsters of an entirely different level.
* * *
“Contact has been cut off?”
“Yes.”
“Floyan and Martin joined forces, and Daphne Phillian led the pursuit. And that is the end.”
Rufus revealed an irritated expression.
“The White Lion Knight Order does nothing but disappoint me.”
No matter that it was Daphne Phillian, no matter that he had joined forces with the elites of the Bolderbof Marquis House and mercenaries as well.
With the prestige the White Lion carried, this was far too disappointing.
“What shall we do?”
“It does not matter. The competition is already over anyway.”
Though they had only brought disappointment, the White Lion Knight Order had not done nothing.
They had delayed the Third Prince sufficiently, and even after the two princes joined forces, they had forced the Second Prince to assign his entire army as a pursuit force, increasing the burden of dealing with monsters.
That was enough.
At least up to this very moment, they had not arrived.
“Marlene. This time, do not be a burden.”
“Hmph, Your Highness the First Prince, I would rather you not become an obstacle yourself.”
Marlene Zespine, with her long golden hair flowing down to her waist, glared at Rufus.
Instead of replying, Rufus fixed his gaze straight ahead.
At least in the thousands. An enormous horde of white bones was waiting for them.
“Interesting.”
He had already suspected it ever since hearing from the guide provided by the fortress lord that there were fewer monsters than usual, but seeing it with his own eyes was another matter entirely.
It was thoroughly irritating and troublesome.
“Sir.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The great hero bowed his head.
“Is your previous assurance still valid?”
“Of course.”
“There are that many?”
“No matter how many there are, they are nothing more than undead.”
“Reliable.”
“Your Highness, we too are here. We will slaughter every last one of them and present the heads of the Black Mages to Your Highness.”
The knights shouted their loyalty over one another.
“Very good.”
“Perhaps you should stop the ridiculous competition over loyalty and start fighting instead. They are already right in front of us.”
Marlene cast a sidelong glance.
“Did you hear that?”
At the same time—
Bang—
The great hero kicked off the ground. A colossal aura surged along the massive greatsword.
With a single swing, a section of the undead collapsed.
It was a sight impossible to believe had been wrought by a single human.
“Go. Go and bring me their heads.”
The First Prince folded his arms. Marlene shook her head and personally led the knight order in a charge.