After causing a disturbance, Lampion finally found Demian, passed out alone in an empty, shabby temple.
Nicholas, the Prince of Lafort, rushed right away after hearing that a Barbarian appeared and defeated the knights as if shooing flies away. As soon as he saw Lampion, he intuitively recognized that he was Demian’s comrade. So, he quickly released the soldiers and asked them to find Demian.
Lampion rushed to the temple and asked as he looked at Demian’s face.
“Why is this brat passed out in the temple?”
“A few days ago, he suddenly disappeared as if something urgent had happened. But I didn’t expect he would be here like this… Can the mighty warrior of the saintess also hear God’s voice?”
Lafort’s knights knew Demian was the mighty warrior of the saintess so they did not think that it was surprising to see him passed out in the temple.
However, Lampion was different. He knew very well that Demian’s faith in God was less than a dog’s booger.
“You crazy bastard, you’re quite high-maintenance.”
Demian did not wake up even when Lampion shook him with his rough hands. He breathed very slowly, with his face pale like a dead man. After slapping Demian’s cheek, Lampion finally smacked his lips. He lifted him up and carried him on one shoulder.
Nicholas approached cautiously and said.
“I will call a doctor. I have already sent maids to his quarters. Let’s get him treated…”
“Forget it.”
“What are you talking about? What if something wrong happened to Demian?”
“He’s never going to die just like this. If you kind ones have time to worry about others, just use that time to take care of your war. I will take this brat with me.”
“What? You’re going to take the mighty warrior of the saintess? But he has decided to fight with us!”
“It’s already a winning battle. Should we wipe your butt too? If I had known that Lafort and the East were so weak, I should have told him to push it all away.”
Lampion’s tone was cocky and his manner was arrogant. Each of Nicholas’ escort knights was angry. They grabbed the handle of their weapons, despite not being able to bear to attack him.
After fighting with Demian—the mighty warrior of the saintess—countless times, they witnessed directly how powerful of a monster he was. Demian was like a beast born to fight. He was like the hero of the century that the God of war gave birth to through fornication with the king of demonic beasts. His feet ran through the sky and he moved with the wind in his hand like a blade.
The knights of Lafort could do nothing but chase and look up to Demian in fear as he swept past the area. They were afraid of Barbarians.
Prince Nicholas realized it a long time ago. He could not bear to scold the knights not being able to strike out at Lampion, who acted arrogantly in front of a member of the royal family.
He might be better off leaving. The fight in the East had now come to an end. If he could not even win in this small battle, he did not deserve to be the king of the unified East.
An ally that was too strong should not be kept close. Even more so if he was a hero whom no one could control.
“Leave.”
Nicholas spoke with difficulty as if he just swallowed bitter water. His chubby face had become very thin and an awkward smile hung on it.
“I will get you a healthy horse, food, and travel goods. I will bring identification cards and enough gold coins for your travel’s convenience. If you need anything else, tell me now.”
Lampion did not know with what feeling Nicholas gave the order to open the way. But thinking that he was a Prince whom he could talk to, he greeted him honestly with a kind heart.
“Is it Lafort?”
“Yes.”
“Win.”
“I will.”
“Don’t worry. We Barbarians will not fight with you anymore. Your enemies will only be the easy ones”
“What do you mean?”
Nicholas asked curiously. What Lampion had said sounded as if the Barbarians were moving away somewhere far in a group.
“We will fight the demons. We will shut down hell and build a country at the entrance.”
Lampion had no reason to hide his purpose from others. So he said confidently.
“This bastard will be the King.”
As the Barbarian’s first monarch. Demian would soon be Demian Rhode Drake. That was the content of the conversation that Lampion, Oscar, and Domino had every night.
If Lara needed an army, the Barbarians could fight for her. If Lara needed a shield, they could be one for her. If Lara needed a sword, they would gladly bare their teeth at her enemies. Even if it was not necessarily for Lara, if the opponent was a demon, the Barbarians would always be ready to fight for their lives at any time. But their real captain and commander must be this man.
Demian Rhode Drake—the man whom Oscar, Domino, and Lampion decided to follow for the first time.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The Empire rose. A movement of a country that had been engulfed in ceaseless war, and it was this war that was birthed since the creation of the Tarragon nation on the continent.
The number of soldiers and their firm spirit, as well as their overwhelming confidence, seemed to indicate the Emperor’s insistence that he would not forgive those who dare to aim for the continent.
The Emperor himself took the position of commander. The people of Tarragon were more enthusiastic than anyone else at that fact. The old Emperor always shut himself in the Imperial Palace and only gave his orders through the Crown Prince. When that Emperor was at the forefront of the Knights in red armor, the old people of Tarragon were filled with emotion, recalling the young days of the Emperor.
The Emperor had long been on the path of a supreme ruler. The wars he started, the fights he started, and the number of people he killed; they were all countless. The people of Tarragon just lived in appreciation that the land they stepped on belonged to that Emperor.
A yellow flag hung over a red flag, and another red flag hung on it. The red flag at the bottom meant the beginning of the war, the yellow flag above it meant that the Emperor himself was in the troops, and the red flag at the top meant the beginning of the great demon war to defend the continent.
An enormous number of troops left Dandelion. At the forefront was the Emperor’s carriage. People ran outside, putting aside even their harvest, and prayed for victory in the war.
The youngsters ran out of the house with their fathers’ old armors and swords and volunteered on the battlefield. It was unknown how long this war would last, so standby troops were called out from each city and emergency military drills had begun. All of this happened when the people knew the Emperor himself participated in the war.
A power that made even the people of Tarragon, the people of a nation where wars had become common, cried for victory with their hearts seething up.
The Emperor aimed at that.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
“That cunning crook.”
“Madam.”
Sebastian reminded Isadora to be careful when she mumbled to herself. They were in Lara’s abode in the Temple of Glory.
The priests were also very busy. Most of the priests who gained healing powers after the appearance of the saintess were dispatched to the battlefield and only a few old elders and young priests remained in the temple. They hurried to fill the vacancy of those who had left and to deliver news to local temples.
“He’s been preparing in advance from the moment Lara appeared. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so quick to muster an army.”
Sebastian nodded slowly at Isadora’s murmurs.
“But even though he already knew that there would be a great demon war, he really was quick indeed.”
“I told you. He was already preparing in advance. What else would that old man's plan be if not coming out a hero and dying on the battlefield? Do you know what will happen when the great Emperor of Tarragon is killed in a war against demons?”
Isadora’s tone was very cynical. She smirked and continued.
“The continent will move into a new era.”
The death of the old King who sought to save the continent.
The Empire would struggle in sorrow. Sadness would soon become anger, and anger would become an irresistible force.
The people would run only for revenge. And those who did not stand on the side of the Empire and fight together would be defined as enemies. The Emperor risked his life to be that driving force.
“There’s no way the Crown Prince doesn’t know that.”
Sebastian said with a worried look. Isadora agreed with him.
“Sebastian.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Every parent in the world lives with one great delusion.”
“What is that?”
“They delude themselves into thinking that they know everything about their children.”
Just as a child does not understand their parent’s minds, so too, will a parent not understand their child’s mind. No matter if they were blood-related or not, humans were all different. What’s more, how could a parent know all the feelings of their grown-up children?
“Acerus resembles the Emperor.”
Acerus climbed on the tall hill where the sanctum was located and looked at the Emperor from behind.
“Do you think the Crown Prince will do something?”
“If he doesn’t do something, he’s probably not the Emperor’s son. We will have to suspect that the Emperor picked him up somewhere.”
“I don’t think he’s that shortsighted… But if that’s what you think, Madam, then he will probably do something.”
The Emperor put a very heavy burden on Acerus. After his death, Acerus was to become the monarch who would carry and lead this Empire. If Acerus recklessly rushed out to the battlefield with his weapon to fight by the Emperor’s side, Tarragon would plunge into chaos in an instant.
The Empire was such a large country. In the midst of the mixture of all kinds of powerful people and their desires, the Emperor told Acerus to stand at the center and defend the Tarragon Empire.
“If the Crown Prince secretly takes his knights to the battlefield, should he be stopped?”
Sebastian asked. He looked a little fed up. It was very easy for him to manage the trading company funds and make a move with the enormous powerhouse he had, but he did not want to stop and admonish the successor of someone else’s country.
Then Isadora looked back at him with a look that asked him what kind of nonsense was that.
“Do you think he can be stopped?”
“You may have forgotten, Madam, but you are the official delegation representative from Hautean. Hautean is also the representative Kingdom of the southwestern part of the Empire. Moreover, you’re also the merchant who sent the largest amount of warring aid for the Eastern unification war.”
“I’m the mother of the saintess.”
“You’re right. No matter how reckless the Crown Prince is, he will still listen to what you say.”
Sebastian did not dislike the Emperor. He thought that the old Emperor’s aim would be a great step in the history of the continent, so he wanted to take his side.
But Isadora had a completely different idea from him.
“Sebastian.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“I’m a merchant.”
“I know.”
“I invest in the future.”
Sebastian’s neat eyebrows twitched. His gaze, which had reached Crown Prince Acerus, returned to Isadora. She saw the future of the Crown Prince.
“Lara… My only daughter is going to hell on her own. If Acerus doesn’t go all out, I won’t acknowledge him as the next Emperor.”
The dry wind blew. Autumn was the wind that raised the body. Soon, winter would arrive.
Perhaps feeling Isadora and Sebastian’s gaze, Acerus suddenly turned and looked their way. It was too far to see what he was thinking. But in Sebastian’s eyes, Acerus looked just like the Emperor.
