Chapter 281 – Chapter 281 ― Interlude (3)
Episode 281 ― Interlude (3)
“Okay. A god spoke to me, a being who lived thousands of years testified, and a forest fairy queen who was hundreds of years old advised me. That’s true. But the choice is mine. It has always been.”
Roan’s voice gained strength.
Feeling a strange energy, Helen turned to Roan.
The Empress’s magical tools were still in operation, so no one here was sure to be able to use their special abilities.
However, the special aura of the emperor’s voice was sometimes similar to when he was addressing the public or when he used his ability to stir the hearts of others in important situations.
Helen didn’t know it, but after all, skills mutually reflect the owner’s own strength.
Just as Roan’s excellent eyesight and physical abilities had become various skills from the beginning, the skills Roan acquired from the attack began to be embodied inside Roan over a long period of time.
And the Grand Duke also distorted his pale face once again at Roan’s words. He didn’t like the subtle ripples that began to ripple through his own steadfast thoughts.
“If Jim had met you Schlaner first, Jim would have heard your story.”
“… Then… ,”
“He understands what you were trying to say. It’s not a nice goal. However, the conclusion Jim drew based on the information he came across is that ‘greed’ is still eating away at his people and his land. That is the obvious fact, and Jim chose based on that.”
A strong will shone in her amethyst-like eyes. And as if the goddess responded to him, the little holy power gathered in Roan’s body began to stir.
Shulaner crouched slightly and squeezed his wand. The Grand Duke glared at Roan with narrow eyes. Those who were affected by ‘greed’ just for that alone began to feel uncomfortable.
“Grand Duke. Did you make that choice even while watching the people of Yeongji suffer? With Jim’s ill-considered opposition to demonic powers, are you willing to set things right, and you’re willing to sacrifice an ox for that cause?”
“It is not right for an emperor who has forgotten the pride of the demons to lead the demons. He holds the weak human hand, bows to them, and follows the divine power that favors them.”
“That is your answer.”
From Roan’s body, divine power began to fill up like a small fountain. Roan remembered the image of the goddess he had met a few days ago. It was as if when he met her, he felt a gentle spring breeze.
“Jim also chose. The responsibility belongs to Jim. He chose you too. If so, you too will have to bear that responsibility. If Jim is foolish and ‘greed’ misses the chance to create paradise, Jim will pay the price with his whole life. But that is for the future, and I will do what is necessary for the path I have taken for now.”
A soft aura began to dwell in the blade of Roan’s sword. Helen’s eyes widened. Roan’s holy power, which had apparently been consumed in yesterday’s battle, swelled up to fill his body and surround his sword.
Roan’s blade began to lean forward little by little. It was for the next attack. It was like the claws of a beast aiming at a single point.
“Your choices are different from mine, so I will hold you accountable here.”
Roan slowly lowered his eyes. As soon as the soft words were over, the tip of the sword that had tilted once again rushed at the wizard. It was the third try.
“Huh… !”
The Grand Duke, who was trying to defend below by following Roan’s gaze, struggled to catch up with his blade.
After receiving Roan’s sword, the Grand Duke let out a moan. It was a sword attack that was heavier than before, and could not be expressed with words alone.
A sound that seemed to rip apart the sword energy spread throughout the Archduke’s body. The Archduke had to use all his strength to block the next attack. The Grand Duke did not know that this was an effect brought about by the power of the goddess carried on Roan’s sword.
The dazzling blade loaded with light changed its target with a bloody force and flew towards the Grand Duke. Sword strikes with a speed that the eyes could not follow were exchanged with cold metal.
Every time Roan’s blade danced with a warm light, scratches began to form on the Grand Duke’s wrists, arms, and torso.
The Archduke barely avoided the blade that passed in front of him. He struggled and stepped back, but there were already long bloodstains on his cheeks.
“Old man dreaming, wake up and die!”
Instead of a spell, Urtellia shouted curse words. Five arrows shot from her fingertips and flew towards Shulaner. The will to attack the elderly was full of momentum.
However, the venomous eyes of Urtellia, who had been strong, shook.
“Oh… ?!”
“”Destroy”!”
It was a brief difference.
Yurtalia was a skilled mercenary, but her tactics and experience had never posited her Anmut in a position to swing her sword at her.
So, when Anmut removed her sword against Helen and threw her body at the magic arrow directed at Shulane, Yurtalia panicked and had to change the trajectory of the magic I sent out.
So she couldn’t respond in time.
Helen, too, could not stop Anmut’s body moving in an unexpected direction.
“Urtellia!”
Urtellia’s body collapsed on the floor like a puppet with a broken string. Helen screamed.
Helen tried to run towards her Burinake Yurtalia, but Anmut’s heavy attack came crashing into her Helen.
“Kuu… , Wake up, Anmut!”
Helen’s cry was mixed with crying. It was difficult for her to concentrate. She said Helen had barely managed to get his sword away.
Urtellia was in a hurry to check her condition and take action against her, but Anmut dutifully swung her sword.
“… !”
Roan, who instantly looked away and confirmed that Yurteria had collapsed, gritted his teeth.
“You will have to pay.”
Roan’s blade contained passion.
Roan’s attack, entwined with holy power and death, shook the Grand Duke’s sword and drew a silver trail to slash his head.
The terrifying porosity and metallicity represented Roan’s heart. The Grand Duke was barely blocking Roan’s ever-increasing sword attack from the left and right.
With a tattered body, the grand duke gritted his teeth.
“Hand over the power!”
Cried the Grand Duke.
The wizard, who had been frozen for a moment by Roan’s momentum, suddenly came to his senses.
After a moment of hesitation, the wizard nodded his head.
He also noticed that it was only a matter of time before he could gather his strength again if he defeated that demon king. Schlaner raised his staff and turned to the Archduke.
The moment no one could stop.
Helen and Roan, who possessed holy power, felt pain as if their bodies were being squeezed by malice.
Hurrying back in pain, Roan looked at Schlaner. Power gushed out of the artifact he wore on his arm, a mysterious jewel.
Black smoke covered his entire body and headed towards the Grand Duke.
Roan managed to regain his composure and cast the goddess’ magic.
“Keugh… !”
He didn’t even have time to open his mouth, only moaning came out.
Beautiful magic in the form of a dome that blocks the evil that presses in all directions was created. Shortly after the ‘star cloud shield’ wrapped around Helen and the fallen Urtellia.
A huge shockwave from Schlaner and the Grand Duke hit the entire camp.
Roan closed his eyes tightly. It was to withstand the enormous pressure that weighed down his shield.
“Ah… , No… No…”
Even within the ‘star cloud shield’, I felt the vast power. However, even while weighed down by that power, Helen sighed and stared blankly at the scene outside the shield.
Tremendous wind pressure extended to the end of the plain in the form of concentric circles.
Dust, weapons, tents, living things,
They all tumbled, fell, rolled, and flew.
It was a shock wave loaded with the power to hate living things.
The malice that filled the air stomped on every life that stood in its way.
The dark forest in the distance shuddered and swayed.
“… Everyone dying…”
A mournful voice escaped Helen’s lips.
Helen did not know that her tears were welling up.
Nothing remains where the wind has passed. Helen instinctively knew through her holy powers that she possessed. That most of life is gone.
And the remaining Urtellia too
That it is only a shell that has already lost its life.
Occasionally, there were those who survived like grassroots with strong magic or holy power. However, the damage suffered even by them was considerable, so most of them were only breathing.
However, Schlaner, Anmut, and the Grand Duke who stood in front of them seemed unaffected by the wind.
As the wind pressure subsided a little, Roan finally raised his head.
The power of the artifact, which still looked like a black gas, was flowing into the Grand Duke.
As if it was not an easy task even for the grand duke who accepts power, his expression was all distorted.
‘… I have to destroy the artifact.’
Roan still focused on the shield and glared at the jewel of the artifact, but then he thought of Helen and Urtellia behind him.
“Helen. Are you okay?”
“… Master.”
Helen answered in a low voice as if her throat was choking.
“Urtellia…”
Even if he had seen many deaths, the death of an acquaintance did not hurt.
Tears covered my vision, and this is a battlefield.
Helen held back her tears and tried to look straight at Roan, but she didn’t come easy.
“… Death is…”
Roan felt a stabbing pain in his heart.
It hurt that all sides were filled with the aura of death.
It hurt that I couldn’t stop them.
It hurt to stand helplessly behind the shield even though I received the revelation and power of the goddess.
It hurt that the person I used to talk and laugh with no longer exists in the world.
All Roan showed was his back, but he heard the sound of grinding his teeth. It was then.
– Oh… It was like a thorn in the eye… You, finally… , Nice to meet you! I wanted to meet you…
My vision darkened.
It wasn’t pitch black before my eyes, but
The darkness faded and deepened several times.
Roan knew this was like laughter. It was because it was the same way he had laughed so many times.
Roan noticed that his opponent’s rank was no lower than that of the Goddess. A fear so intense that it made him forget the tragedy of just a moment ago permeated him. Unexpectedly, the other person expressed closeness to Roan, but that did not lessen the rejection that Roan instinctively felt.
“Are you happy?”
— You are with me very… Because it’s close not special
Helen was looking at Roan with a puzzled expression. Not only Helen, but Schlaner and the Grand Duke didn’t seem to think that the first conversation of ‘greed’ was this way.
