There is nothing more terrifying than a prepared mage on the battlefield.
I once overheard that sentiment while passing by on the road.
At the time, I simply accepted it, but after experiencing it firsthand, I understood its origin.
“Well, there’s nothing for me to do.”
Choi Hyun-seok wore an expression of disappointment.
The battle concluded far too easily for his expectations.
All he did was confront the Cardinal.
The Drasen Empire’s magic corps handled everything else.
Even one of the Cardinals they were fighting was taken down by the Drasen knights.
‘It’s not like the enemy was weak. If it were just me and Ms. Sarah, we wouldn’t have won so easily.’
The opponent was not weak.
Rather, objectively speaking, they were quite strong.
Three thousand high-ranking paladins and high priests.
Two Cardinals with near-legendary combat power.
This was by no means a weak force.
The reason the battle was so easy?
Simply because our forces were stronger; there was no other explanation.
‘Well, the Cardinal was weaker than I thought, though.’
The Cardinal that Choi Hyun-seok faced was no different from him in terms of physical ability.
It was safe to say he was a complete legend [a person famous for their skills].
However, his movements were excessively clumsy.
Cardinal Vincenzo, who he fought before, seemed to fight better.
Thanks to that, the battle ended anticlimactically, and Choi Hyun-seok had to be satisfied with gaining experience.
“It seems this side is resolved.”
A gentle voice came from the side.
Turning his head, he saw Sarah Dunphy approaching.
“Yes. There wasn’t anything particularly difficult. Did anything happen to Ms. Sarah?”
“I didn’t do anything other than raise the undead, so there wasn’t anything special. I was watching out for anyone who might escape, but the Drasen Empire handled them all well.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Choi Hyun-seok stroked his chin as if deep in thought.
“That Drasen Empire. It seems they are not to be underestimated.”
He had only been paying attention to the ‘Gatrean Holy Empire’ until now, but Drasen was also worthy of being called an empire.
From the incredible level of the magic corps to the knights with outstanding skills.
Sarah Dunphy nodded as if she agreed with that thought.
“The magic corps is quite something. Unlike those heroes who use linked magic through brainwashing, it’s a result of pure skill, a product of repeated training.”
“The knights are the same. Even though it was a Cardinal with legendary specs, they did it so easily…”
Choi Hyun-seok thought the knights were more impressive than the magic corps.
The average combat power of the knights was around 40,000.
In comparison, the Cardinal’s combat power was close to 400,000.
Even if the Cardinal’s skills were lacking, the difference in physical ability was too extreme.
It was almost like the difference between a child and an adult male.
Yet, the knights killed the Cardinal without much damage.
‘To be exact, it was closer to hunting.’
Movements closer to skilled hunters than knights.
They restrained the opponent’s feet and continuously whittled away their stamina.
Eventually, the moment came when the Cardinal was exhausted and unable to do anything.
They finished it off cleanly with perfect coordination.
As far as the weak fighting against the strong, it was the most excellent battle Choi Hyun-seok had ever seen.
“We need to be careful. They are helping us now, but we don’t know when their attitude will change.”
At their first meeting, Duke Olaven Grimier said.
The Drasen Empire already has everything, so they don’t want anything more.
They simply want the current situation to be maintained.
That’s why they want to stop the Gatrean Holy Empire, which is trying to dominate the continent.
Choi Hyun-seok didn’t completely believe those words.
‘You never know when or how people’s minds will change.’
Will they feel the same way even when Gatrean disappears and Drasen becomes the best country on the continent?
Moreover, the Drasen Empire has a history of reigning with terror in the past.
It means they are war maniacs who have already been heavily covered in blood.
They say that those people have now become pacifists.
‘Well. I don’t know.’
Choi Hyun-seok sneered.
In his experience, the deeply ingrained smell of blood doesn’t disappear so easily.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Speak of the devil.
Duke Olaven Grimier approached.
He was smiling brightly and clapping his hands.
“Excellent strategy and excellent battle! It was perfect!”
“Yours was good too.”
Choi Hyun-seok greeted him with a smiling face.
Whatever happens in the future, they are allies with a common enemy right now.
There was no reason to be hostile.
“I heard there is still one Cardinal and an army left. What are you planning to do with that?”
“We can handle that with our own strength. I don’t think we need to ask for help all the way there.”
“I see.”
Olaven Grimier nodded without saying anything else.
It seemed like he was trying to keep his distance without interfering further.
“Then go and take care of your business. We’ll take care of the aftermath here.”
“Aftermath?”
“There shouldn’t be any evidence that you or the Empire’s magic corps were involved.”
A deep smile appeared on Olaven Grimier’s lips.
“The incompetent Gatrean Holy Empire was defeated by the undead army. We were not here, of course, and we don’t know anything. Isn’t that right?”
At those words, the corners of Choi Hyun-seok’s lips also went up.
“Of course.”
***
Cardinal Pidenzio Piola, who remained in Scolbon.
He was moving frantically, urging the priests.
“We must leave the city! Quickly!”
Two Cardinals and three thousand elite troops consisting of high-ranking paladins and priests were defeated.
Due to the nature of the undead army, they would have become stronger by feeding on the dead.
In other words, it meant that they could never be stopped with the remaining forces here.
‘Damn it! If only I had the Pope’s grace too!’
Unlike the two Cardinals who returned to God’s embrace first, Pidenzio did not have any special combat abilities.
He just had a little more divine power than others.
That’s why he was even more anxious.
In case something went wrong.
He wasn’t confident in taking care of himself.
Even though he was an old man over 60, his obsession with life was greater than anyone else’s.
“Is the preparation complete!”
“Yes. 102 paladins. 305 priests. 528 other personnel. A total of 935 people have finished preparing to depart.”
“We’re leaving right away!”
Those who are leaving now are the personnel who originally resided in Scolbon.
All the troops who came with Cardinal Pidenzio became undead fodder, so they had no choice but to leave with the priests and paladins of Scolbon.
“There!”
“It’s the priest!”
As Pidenzio and the members of the Deus Order left the temple, the citizens nearby flocked to them.
“Priest! Don’t abandon us!”
“Cardinal! Salvation!”
“Deus [Latin for God]! Save our Mariot Kingdom! Save Scolbon!”
The news that the army that had gone out first had been annihilated had already spread throughout the city.
Scolbon fell into a state of panic.
Some moved, saying they had to leave the city immediately.
Others grabbed those who were leaving, saying that the city was still safe.
A scene of utter chaos.
In the midst of the confusion, the capital defense forces moved under the king’s orders.
They occupied the streets to establish order and blocked the entrance to prevent people from leaving.
In the end, everyone was trapped in the city.
“If the priests leave, there is no hope for Scolbon!”
“Please! Save us!”
Now the citizens had no choice but to rely on the temple.
Even if the Deus Order had been defeated once, it couldn’t be helped.
In terms of compatibility, divine power was the best for catching undead.
Even if it was a rotten rope, they had no choice but to grab it.
“Let go! You bug-like things!”
Cardinal Pidenzio shouted with a devilish face.
He didn’t have the luxury to act like a good and faithful believer right now.
His life was in danger if he didn’t leave the city immediately.
“What are the paladins doing! Open the way quickly!”
“Yes!”
As thousands of people gathered and couldn’t move forward, they eventually resorted to force.
Paladins, who already possessed overwhelming power compared to ordinary people.
With the blessings of the priests, they began to forcibly push people away.
“Cough! W, wait a moment!”
“Don’t push! There are people crushed here!”
“Aaaaaah!”
“Please, stop…! Everyone will die if this continues! E, everyone will die!”
Accidents occurred in various places as they forcibly pushed people away.
Multiple casualties occurred.
Pidenzio moved forward without batting an eye.
“There! If we go a little further, it’s the gate!”
Finally, the Cardinal and his entourage arrived at the entrance located on the west side of the capital.
This time, the capital defense forces blocked their path.
“Who are you!”
“His Majesty the King’s order that no one can leave Scolbon….”
The knight couldn’t finish his sentence.
Slap-!
Pidenzio roughly slapped him on the cheek.
“I am the Cardinal of the Deus Order!”
“…”
“All those here belong to the Deus Order! They are the children of God! Even the King cannot stop us!”
Pidenzio shouted with a tremendous voice that didn’t match his old age.
The knight responded calmly.
“These are the priests and paladins who were formally dispatched to Scolbon. And it is wartime now.”
“So what!?”
“According to the regulations, the dispatched priests and paladins must follow the orders of the lord of the territory or the king during wartime.”
“You…!”
Pidenzio couldn’t easily refute.
What the calm knight in front of him said was correct.
What Pidenzio was doing now was violating the regulations.
It was something that even a Cardinal couldn’t do as he pleased.
Of course, no matter how much it was a regulation, it wasn’t followed so thoroughly.
In most cases, the logic of power was used to suppress it.
“You cannot leave Scolbon until His Majesty the King gives his order.”
However, the inflexible knight in front of him didn’t seem to have any intention of compromising with reality.
“Paladins! What are you doing!”
At Pidenzio’s command, the paladins stepped forward.
Their faces were also full of hesitation.
The only proper force here was a hundred paladins.
In comparison, the capital defense forces numbered 10,000.
In addition, there were several knight orders stationed in the capital, including the Royal Knights, the kingdom’s best force.
If a clash occurred, the paladins would be annihilated without being able to withstand it for even a moment.
“Paladin! Are you ignoring my words, the apostle of God!”
Under Pidenzio’s continued pressure, the paladins stepped forward.
Then the capital defense forces rushed in and surrounded them.
Sreung-!
The sound of both sides drawing their weapons.
The watching citizens swallowed hard.
A touch-and-go situation.
At that time, a soldier ran up and approached the knight guarding the gate.
“…is the order.”
The soldier whispered something.
The knight nodded and shouted loudly.
“Open the gate!”
Pidenzio quickly realized the situation.
The king must have ordered them to let them go before a clash occurred.
“Khahahahaha!”
He laughed wildly, leaning back.
“It’s a relief that the King is a thoughtful person! Let’s go quickly!”
If he thought about the aftermath, it was right to let them go.
Otherwise, he would incur the wrath of the Deus Order and Gatrean.
Soon, Pidenzio and the priests passed through the gate.
Tears flowed among the citizens watching the scene.
“No! What are we supposed to do if you leave like this!”
“Priest! Please take me with you! Or at least my child!”
“You dog-like clergymen! You damn sons of bitches! You’re worse than the undead!”
Some of the excited crowd even drew their weapons and rushed at the departing priests.
Of course, they were stopped by the capital defense forces.
It was clear how extreme the sense of betrayal they felt was.
“You’re going to turn Scolbon into a sea of blood for days! And you’re acting like this!”
“Tsk! Just you wait! I’ll never believe in Deus again!”
“Traitors! You gangster-like bastards!”
Finally, all the priests and paladins left.
Kooong…!
The gate closed firmly again.
People lowered their heads with blank expressions.
Some people even collapsed to the ground as if they had lost strength in their legs.
Deep despair filled the capital Scolbon.
***
“Did they leave?”
“Yes. All the priests and paladins in the capital. Even their attendants left without exception.”
Abelson nodded.
“It’s finally time to move.”
She stood up from her seat, and something was different from usual.
First, she was wearing pure white plate armor all over her body instead of the usual robes.
The mace in her hand was even bigger and more ornate.
Soon, she stepped out of the castle and raised her mace with a determined look.
“From now on, we will save this country with our own hands.”
As if responding to her, those who were waiting also drew their weapons.
It was the Royal Knights and the Royal Guards. And the elite troops of the capital.
Hwaaaaaa-!
Blinding light poured out from Abelson’s mace.
And she smiled brightly.
“All troops. Advance.”
She already knew the outcome of this war.
“Undead are nothing. We’ll show you.”