< 70 : The White Knight (4) >
The unexpected intruders who came looking for Guildford uttered a surprising word.
The Hero of Abundance.
Guildford’s eyes narrowed when he heard that name.
The people in front of him already knew Guildford’s identity.
He looked at Serena and Lian alternately and said.
“Are you from the Holy Land?”
“Yes. I’m Lian Crost, the vice-captain of the Crossbridge Knights.”
“The vice-captain of the Knights…!”
“Isn’t he the second highest person among the knights?”
The mercenaries around him murmured at Lian’s introduction.
That’s how shocking Lian’s identity was.
Knight Lian Crost.
And Serena Ederlunt, who was with him.
They were each the vice-captain of the Knights and the Saintess of Abundance.
They came from the Holy Land to take Guildford with them.
Ascalon had already told him about their visit a few days ago.
It matched Ascalon’s story that meeting the Saintess was inevitable.
Guildford winked at the holy sword on Gaf’s shoulder and said to Lian, who was pointing his sword at him.
“The vice-captain of the Knights… You’re quite radical for someone who serves God.”
Lian did not deny Guildford’s words.
He just lowered his sword and glared at Guildford with a fierce aura.
The aura of a knight who had reached the peak was so intense that it touched Guildford’s skin.
“There is no other way to make you realize your weakness than to face you with a sword.”
“Make me realize my weakness?”
“That you are still weak as a hero who has not received proper training.”
Lian finished his words and took off one of his gloves and showed his bare hand.
He then threw his glove at Guildford.
Thud.
Guildford’s hand caught Lian’s glove.
Throwing a glove at someone was an action taken when challenging them to a duel.
Guildford also knew well about the etiquette of dueling.
“Weak… That’s a word I haven’t heard in a long time.”
Squeeze.
Guildford squeezed Lian’s glove hard.
Guildford was also a veteran mercenary who had been in the business for a long time.
He was not someone who would be called weak by anyone.
“Guildford Proud. I’ve heard that you’ve made quite a name for yourself as a mercenary. But do you think that will work against the evil god?”
“I don’t think that the mercenaries’ way will work against the Order. That’s inevitable.”
“Then why don’t you come to the Holy Land? You can’t grow without learning. And you can’t complete without mastering.”
Lian’s words were close to the orthodox view.
Most heroes would willingly join the Holy Land knowing that fact.
Of course, some of them might be after the glory that comes from being a hero.
But Guildford’s position was different from theirs.
He was not alone.
He had comrades that he had to take responsibility for.
“I am a mercenary before I am a hero. And I am the leader of the Guildford Mercenaries.”
“Is it because of the mercenary group you’re leading…?”
“It’s not just that, I don’t like being tied to a place like the temple. I have my own way of fighting against the evil god.”
Lian sighed briefly and pointed his sword at Guildford.
Guildford pointed Ascalon at Lian as well.
The holy sword and the divine weapon that were drawn emitted brighter lights than before.
Woo woo woo woo——
Ascalon, responding to the light of the holy sword, vibrated longly.
Lian, who pointed his sword at Guildford, stared at him and said.
“What about the people?”
“What do you mean?”
“What are you going to do about the people who are suffering from the evil god while you are being stubborn?”
“…Don’t misunderstand. I’m going to try to save people in my own way.”
He would walk a different path from the temple.
That was Guildford’s thought.
He had lived as a mercenary all his life, and he had lived a rough but free life more than anyone else.
He didn’t want to wear a mask of heroism and move in a predetermined direction now.
Besides, he didn’t want to part with his comrades either.
Being a mercenary was something that Guildford Proud could never give up.
Lian shook his head as if he didn’t like Guildford’s words.
“We are pursuing the way that can save the most people.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“This is the most efficient way to save people. But you… Why are you trying to deviate from justice?”
There was a big gap between the way of heroes that Lian spoke of and the way of heroes that Guildford spoke of.
Guildford realized that the difference in perception between them could not be easily narrowed.
There was a wall that they could not understand each other.
If they couldn’t understand each other, they would inevitably clash.
It was a fight that could not be avoided.
Swoosh.
Guildford drew Ascalon from his waist.
The eyes of the two men who drew their swords met in the air.
As they looked at each other, Ascalon, who was emitting light, spoke to Guildford.
-“It seems like you don’t have time to talk to each other.”
“…What do you mean?”
Right after Guildford’s question, filled with doubt.
A heavy explosion rang out and shook Guildford’s ears.
Kwaaaaang——!
The intense explosion that reached his ears made Guildford turn his head to find the cause.
A nameless cliff far away from the mountain road where they were.
There, a huge flame and smoke rose up.
The smoke that began to cover the cliff faintly was enough to guess the scale of the explosion that occurred from afar.
“What the hell is going on?”
A sudden explosion of unknown origin.
The only one who had an idea of what it was here was Ascalon.
Lian, who had covered his ears from the explosion sound, looked at Guildford’s Ascalon and asked.
Woo woo woo woo.
Ascalon vibrated and answered Lian.
-“It seems that the followers of the evil god are trying to break the seal of the progenitor.”
“The progenitor of vampires? You don’t mean Pluto…?”
-“If you intend to keep fighting, I won’t stop you. However, by the time the fight is over, the progenitor might be released.”
Lian bit his lip after hearing Ascalon’s words.
The murderous aura that had been rising in Lian’s eyes had long subsided.
Guildford, who was watching him, lost his will to fight and put Ascalon back in his scabbard.
There was nothing to gain from fighting each other in this situation.
Rather, they would only blame each other for letting the progenitor of vampires escape.
Lian also sheathed his holy sword that he had drawn.
Then he spoke to Serena who was behind him.
“Lady. I think we need to borrow the eyes of the Guardian.”
“…Alright. I’ll check the situation.”
“Thank you.”
Serena, who heard Lian’s request, knelt down on the floor.
She clasped her hands and began to pray in a polite posture.
Guildford realized that the saintess was preparing to use her divine power.
Now that the situation had occurred, he and his mercenary band could not just sit still.
Guildford looked at Gaf, who was sitting on the spot where Lian had passed by, holding his shoulder.
“Gaf. Are you alright?”
“Captain… I made a fool of myself.”
“Don’t worry too much. The opponent was the vice-captain of the Holy Knights.”
“…”
“Get up, Gaf. We still have a lot to do.”
Guildford reached out his hand to Gaf, who was sitting down.
Squeeze.
Gaf grabbed Guildford’s hand tightly.
Gaf, who got up from his seat, looked at him with a complicated gaze.
“…Captain.”
“Put on a bandage. I’ll lead the men.”
“I’m sorry, captain.”
Guildford handed a bandage to Gaf and passed him to approach the mercenaries.
The mercenaries had mostly stopped eating and grabbed their weapons since the fight with Lian broke out.
Guildford looked at the mercenaries who were still sitting on the floor and shouted.
He wanted to take them along for the upcoming fight.
“Worms! Get up from your seats!”
“Captain! Are we going to fight now?”
One of the mercenaries who was sitting asked Guildford’s shout.
Nod.
Guildford nodded immediately.
“Yes! It’s a glorious mission for our Guildford Mercenary Band!”
“What about the payment?”
“I’ll buy you beer until you all pass out!”
The mercenaries cheered at Guildford’s shout.
The mercenaries who followed Guildford were like this.
They liked money and beer, and they also enjoyed adventuring with Guildford.
That’s why Guildford couldn’t give up this mercenary band.
Guildford gave orders to the mercenaries and crossed his arms, looking at Lian.
“You said you were the vice-captain of the Holy Knights. When are you going to move?”
“…Wait a little. The saintess is assessing the situation herself.”
Lian’s expression was slightly relaxed as he answered Guildford’s question.
The veteran mercenary and the second-in-command of the Holy Knights.
It was the moment when a temporary alliance of cracks was formed.
***
Somewhere in the mountains of Ketterland province.
There, Eutenia was preparing magic with her bare hands to shoot at her enemies.
Eutenia’s hand did not have Etalia’s compass.
After a long search, she finally found the location of the relic.
It was finally time to reap the fruits of her efforts after moving without using magic for a long time.
Nothing could stop Eutenia without the restraint of the compass.
“It feels refreshing to use magic after a long time.”
A lightning bolt shot out from Eutenia’s hand toward a cliff where flames were flickering.
Kwaaaaang——!
A loud noise echoed as rocks around the cliff collapsed.
The rocks that fell with the lightning covered the people below.
The people below screamed as they were hit by large rocks.
“Aaaaah…!”
“It’s an enemy! Everyone get ready for battle!”
With a horn sound, those who were attacked by Eutenia began to move busily.
There were guardians of the seal where Eutenia’s lightning struck.
They were those who lived to protect Pluto, the progenitor of vampires, and the stake that sealed him.
The guardians of the seal, who had inherited their lineage for a long time, had a power as strong as their history.
Despite Eutenia’s sudden attack, most of them were still safe.
Eutenia watched them and said.
“You all look surprisingly tough.”
“It’s only natural for the guardians who protect the seal.”
“If this is not enough, I can use stronger magic.”
As Eutenia raised her hand to use the next magic.
An arrow flew toward where Eutenia was.
Zap.
The arrow cut through the wind and moved at a fast speed.
However, it was impossible for the arrow that aimed at Eutenia to achieve its purpose.
A hand that stretched out from her shadow grabbed the flying arrow and stopped it.
“Wh… what?”
Peter, who was surprised by the arrow that stopped in front of him, took a few steps back.
Thunk.
Eutenia cleared the arrow with her shadow and looked at the direction where the guardians were.
There was one guardian who was aiming his bow at her from a distant cliff.
Even though she had used magic from an invisible place, he had found her location.
She smiled at him and said.
“It looks like you have good eyes.”
The guardian who shot the arrow quickly put another arrow on his bowstring.
The taut bowstring was ready to send an arrow to Eutenia at any time.
It was a fast speed that matched his skillful archery.
Peter spoke in a flustered voice as he saw the arrowhead shining in the distance.
“Ah, no… this is not just good eyesight…”
“Since I received a dangerous gift, I should give him a proper return.”
Eutenia raised her hand and began to draw more powerful magic.
She was preparing magic to deal with the guardians.
Her hand stretched toward the sky moved like a conductor who commanded the weather.
As her hand moved, the wind blew and clouds formed.
“Ah…”
Dark clouds began to gather in the sky, and soon the ground was covered with a faint shadow.
Crackle. Crackle.
The dark clouds that gathered in the sky spat out light and gradually transformed into a huge thundercloud.
The guardians looked up at the sky as the dark clouds suddenly rolled in.
At the moment when the thundercloud that had been condensing reached its limit.
Eutenia burst out all the magic she had gathered.
“——Giga Lightning.”
Giga Lightning.
It was the most powerful wide-area attack magic she knew.
As Eutenia’s hand came down, the thundercloud that she had created in the sky released the thunder that it had accumulated.
Kwaaaaang——!
The irregular thunderbolts began to strike down at the enemies on the ground alternately.
“Th, they… cough!”
“Aaaaah…!”
Every time it rained, lightning flashed, followed by thunder that shook their ears.
In the flash that shook their eyes and ears, the thunderbolts mercilessly judged their enemies.
It was not easy to see properly in such bad conditions, and in such conditions, the thunderbolt attacks continued to pour out.
The screams of the guardians echoed again in the flashing light.
“Everyone, uh… ugh!”
“Cr… ugh…”
“Aa, aaaah, aaaaaah!”
Kwaaaaang—!
The lightning kept falling toward the ground.
The rain of thunderbolts that continued to fall tore apart the formation of the guardians.
Even if they survived after being hit by lightning, they could never be free from the ensuing attacks.
A bombardment of lightning that could not be blocked or escaped from.
Eutenia’s magic ended only a few minutes after the thundercloud was completed.
“It’s a bit cleaner now.”
Right after the huge magic that blocked her sight disappeared.
Eutenia shook off her wet hair and smiled.
There was only one guardian left where her magic had passed.
