Chapter 264. The Vicious Warrior (1)
Elijah, now cast down from his place as Saint, stood atop the central spire of the fortress with a grave expression.
The enemy's response had been far too swift. According to the scouts' reports, the empire's forces were already positioned along the southern kingdom's border. Those pathetic southern kingdoms had surrendered their frontlines far too easily. Never in his wildest dreams had Elijah imagined the empire would mobilize at such speed.
"...Wretched vermin," Elijah muttered. He wondered where it had all gone wrong.
The empire should have remained mired in chaos for a while longer. The demon's dominion over the Imperial Palace should have split the nation in two and thrown it into civil war. In that time, the Holy Kingdom would have conquered the southern realms and eventually devoured the weakened empire as well.
But everything had crumbled. And at the heart of every failed plan stood that accursed Caron Leston.
I should have killed him back then, Elijah thought, clenching his fists as he recalled their first encounter in the Southern Great Forest.
Even if it meant war with the elves, he should have eliminated that revolting man. Then perhaps everything could have unfolded as it was meant to.
But instead, Caron Leston had shattered the glorious vision of the Holy Kingdom's future. He had rescued the Saintess who should have died in the Pajar Sultanate and returned her alive. He had been officially anointed the Warrior.
Even Uriel—whom they had seduced with forbidden demonic arts—had inexplicably defected to Caron's side.
Uriel was supposed to accelerate our plans by years, Elijah thought bitterly. He cursed the name of Caron Leston to the void several times.
"Saint Elijah!"
A voice broke through his storm of thoughts. A man, a nameless, incompetent commander, had climbed the spire in haste.