Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 91

The 91st Story

Just as El and Isana arrived in Clamore, the Emperor’s Imperial Knights, including Peris, were nearing the capital, Herica. However, their anticipation was cut short by an unexpected crisis. They were ambushed by soldiers of the Duke in the forest where they had been hiding to avoid detection. The relentless chase they had endured was finally reaching its climax.

“Hear ye, Kye de Serik, the sinner, and the rebels! Your luck ends here! Surrender now!”

The knights gritted their teeth at the booming voice from the enemy camp. They estimated the enemy force to be over a hundred, a daunting number to either fight or evade.

“We tried to cover our tracks… I suppose it couldn’t be as perfect as El-nim’s work.”

“It can’t be helped. You did your best, so don’t blame yourself, Peris. Everyone, prepare yourselves. We will give this battle everything we have.”

“Yes, sir!”

The knights, responding to their captain’s order, replied with grim determination. They knew their end was near. Their greatest regret was not being able to assist the Emperor to the very end, more than any personal fear or resentment. If their deaths became known, the young Emperor would be heartbroken.

‘Elquines-nim [referring to the Spirit King], please take care of His Majesty.’

They silently repeated the same plea in their hearts, gripping their weapons tightly. They faced their likely final battle with calm resolve. It wasn’t that they weren’t afraid, but knowing that the Spirit King was by the Emperor’s side gave them a sense of peace, as if they could die with a smile. He would surely protect the Emperor until the end.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the opposing camp. It was a towering knight clad in black armor from head to toe.

The captain of the Imperial Guard, Kye, immediately recognized him. It was Count Setnio, known as the Duke’s right-hand man, and Payler, the vice-captain of his personal knight order, the Knights of Darkness. They weren’t close, but they had occasionally crossed paths at the Imperial training grounds, so they were somewhat acquainted. Setnio’s involvement meant this confrontation was inevitable, but Kye couldn’t help but feel a pang of bitterness at facing someone he had recently shared laughter with as an enemy. Unlike Setnio, Payler grinned broadly at Kye, who regarded him warily.

“It’s been a while, Sir Serik. You look much worse than the last time I saw you. How did those once renowned as the Emperor’s Imperial Guard end up like this? It’s truly regrettable.”

“…Skip the pleasantries and get to the point.”

“Haha, still noble even at a moment like this. Very well. As you can see, there is no hope left for you and your knights. Don’t waste your energy and just surrender.”

“I refuse.”

“Oh, are you sure you can refuse so easily? I guarantee that if a battle breaks out, you will all die here.”

“Do you think I would be swayed by such words?”

“You’re really frustrating. What are you doing this for? It’s already too late to save the person you’re trying to protect. Do you know who the Duke sent? It’s Pylon-nim.”

“…Pylon?”

“Pylon de Caribdis-nim, the greatest swordsman on the continent.”

“…!”

At this unexpected revelation, the faces of Kye and the Imperial Guards hardened. Pylon de Caribdis was the youngest Sword Master, granted the title of Duke at the young age of nineteen for his extraordinary achievements. He was also the commander-in-chief of the Duke’s personal Imperial Army.

It wasn’t that they hadn’t considered his involvement, but the timing was sooner than they had anticipated. Pylon was the Duke’s most trusted subordinate and his strongest warrior. He wasn’t a resource to be used and discarded lightly.

The fact that the Duke was deploying him so quickly was unsettling. From the Duke’s perspective, who possessed everything, the Emperor was merely a young child who could die at any moment. Only about ten Imperial Guards remained, a number that would have been wiped out long ago if it hadn’t been for the miracle at that time. Even if they were proving more troublesome than expected, the Duke would naturally be confident in his victory. But to send the strongest warrior on the continent to a battle with such a predictable outcome seemed excessive. It was like burning down a mansion to catch a fly.

‘Could it be that he’s aware of His Majesty’s contract with the Spirit King?’

The Duke was known for his sharp intellect. It was a plausible theory, and Kye’s expression turned grave. Payler, mistaking his seriousness for fear, wore a triumphant smirk.

‘Hehe, yes. That’s how it should be.’

He was in high spirits. The Emperor’s Imperial Guard, the symbol of the Imperial Family, had always been an eyesore to him. He was not only witnessing their downfall but also had the opportunity to crush them himself, which filled him with glee.

He even wielded the treasured sword he had recently received from the Count. It was a trophy that Duke Caribdis had acquired from the Orc horde, personally collected and gifted to him by the Count.

‘No matter how strong they are, they can’t withstand this much force. Besides, all of our weapons are treasured swords, so they won’t stand a chance.’

Payler glanced at Kye’s and the Imperial Guards’ weapons. Their swords were worn and aged from countless battles. Moreover, it was clear they were exhausted from their long escape.

“I’ll ask one more time. Will you still not surrender?”

“…This life belongs to only one person.”

“Very well. Then I’ll grant your wish.”

Payler smiled cruelly and drew his sword. A clear ringing sound echoed as abundant mana flowed from the blade. He wielded a sword enchanted with high-level ice magic. The icy coldness that reached his cheeks further fueled his confidence. Any spark of hope would freeze the moment his sword touched it.

“Punish the traitors!”

“Waaaaa!”

At the command, the waiting knights and soldiers raised their weapons. Kye and the Imperial Guards braced themselves, gripping their shields tightly in anticipation of the attack. The two groups were on the verge of collision.

Koo-oong!

Suddenly, something massive crashed down from the sky with a deafening roar, landing directly between the opposing forces.

The knights on the Duke’s side, who were charging forward, and Kye and the Imperial Guards, who were preparing to defend, all froze in place, startled by the unexpected event. As the acrid dust settled, a figure standing in the newly formed crater became visible. It was a man with shoulder-length black hair and piercing, cold eyes.

“Wh-What are you doing!”

Payler shouted at the unidentified man who had suddenly appeared. The man, who had been standing silently, turned his gaze with an expressionless face. Despite the seemingly casual reaction, Payler flinched. He felt an overwhelming presence that made him afraid to approach. At that moment, the man’s eyes turned icy as he focused on the sword Payler was holding.

“Are you the ones?”

“…What?”

“Are you the bastards who dared to take someone else’s things without permission? You’re the ones who ran away with it, huh?”

“Wh-What?”

Payler was taken aback by the sudden disrespect and the insulting words. He had never imagined that the treasured sword he held had an original owner, and that the man before him was that owner, come to reclaim the Black Dragon Messeterius.

As soon as Messeterius had recovered, he had activated the tracking magic to locate his weapons. Seeing humans wielding his possessions so casually ignited the rage he had been suppressing.

“I’m going to kill you all!”

Murderous intent blazed in his wide eyes. Black smoke began to erupt from his hands.

‘An enormous amount of mana!’

The first to sense the unusual energy was the spiritist Peris, on the Imperial Guard’s side. Like the others, he had been preparing for the final battle, but he tensed as he felt an ominous power emanating from the newcomer. While the confused soldiers panicked, he instinctively summoned Shuriel [a wind spirit] and erected a wind barrier around his group. At that moment, a massive explosion erupted, threatening to obliterate everything around them.

Shoo-oook! Kwaaaaang!

“Keuk!”

“Uwaaaak!”

Despite the protection of the barrier, an immense pressure bore down on them. Peris and the Imperial Guards bit their lips to resist being swept away by the invisible force.

How much time had passed? After a while, they felt the air calm and cautiously opened their eyes. Their vision was filled with black ruins. The forest, the trees, the countless soldiers—everything that had been before them had vanished in that brief moment. Only the person who had caused the explosion and the Imperial Guards, shielded by the spirit, remained safe amidst the acrid ashes.

“Oh my god…”

Peris and the Imperial Guards groaned and looked around in disbelief. They instinctively knew they had survived a miracle.

However, Messeterius, the black-haired man who had unleashed the devastation, was still consumed by his unresolved anger.

“Damn it, how dare those bastards who would die from something like this touch someone else’s things? Damn it! No matter how I think about it, it’s humiliating! Because of these rotten bastards, I! This body!”

He gathered the weapons from among the corpses that had been reduced to black ash, grumbling incessantly. Despite the massive explosion, the weapons were in perfect condition, without a single scratch.

“Th-That…”

“Huh?”

Messeterius’s eyebrows furrowed unpleasantly at the sound. He had thought everyone was dead, but there were some survivors.

“What, why are you guys alive?”

He saw about ten humans. He sensed a fairly pure energy from one of them—the scent of wind and water spirits.

‘I felt the energy of the spirits when he used magic, so it was that guy.’

They were all wearing shabby clothes and holding mediocre shields and swords. Confirming this, Messeterius slightly relaxed his gaze. If they were involved, he would have been furious, but fortunately, the survivors didn’t seem to be allied with the humans who had stolen his sword.

“Excuse me… May I ask who you are?”

“Hmph! What do you need to know that for?”

“Well… You don’t seem like an ordinary person…”

“Of course! Where do I look ordinary? But that doesn’t mean I’m going to tell you guys who I am. If you want to keep the lives you barely saved, don’t be curious about useless things. I just came to find my things from those guys earlier.”

“Your things? Are you talking about the weapons you’re holding now?”

“That’s right! Those bastards dared to steal from me and run away. They just paid the price for their sins.”

The Imperial Guards were speechless at his scoffing reply. They couldn’t believe that anyone would steal weapons from such a powerful being, but they had to accept it since he claimed it was so.

“By the way, what’s with you guys?”

“Yes?”

“Your shields are so old they’re useless, and did you get your swords from some cheap blacksmith? You thought you could face my treasured sword with that kind of thing. Are you stupid or foolish?”

“Ah…”

The Imperial Guards smiled awkwardly at his harsh words. To a knight, a sword is like his own life. At any other time, they would have been furious, but strangely, they didn’t feel offended or unpleasant, no matter how cutting his words were. Instead, they felt only awe and fear.

‘Just what is his identity?’

Elquines, the Spirit King, was an absolute being, but he rarely revealed his presence. That’s why they, as humans, could treat him comfortably without feeling intimidated. But the man before them made no attempt to hide his power. Just making eye contact caused cold sweat to pour down their bodies.

It was at that moment.

“Here, take it.”

“Yes?”

Clatter—something fell in front of the Imperial Guards with a dull thud. Their expressions hardened as they saw what had been thrown at their feet. It was the treasured swords he had just collected. They looked at him with puzzled expressions as Messeterius said nonchalantly,

“It’s a connection, so I’ll give it to you. You guys take it.”

“B-But didn’t you come to find these? Why to us…”

“Yeah, but I changed my mind. In the first place, my purpose was just to punish the thieves. I have more things to find besides this, but it’s a hassle to carry them around. I don’t feel like stopping by home just because of these few things, and I don’t think I’ll ever need to take them out if I put them in the subspace. So just take them. It’s made by a dwarf, so it’ll be useful for now. It’ll be much better than the useless scrap metal you guys are carrying around.”

“Dw-Dwarf…!”

Every knight knew the value of that name. The Imperial Guards stared at the treasured swords with shocked faces. If that was true, it wasn’t just much better.

Dwarves are a race of artisans born with exceptional craftsmanship. The weapons they forge are not only beautiful but also renowned for their sturdiness, capable of shattering rocks. However, they were so rare and had so little interaction with humans that their creations were incredibly precious, worth whatever price they demanded. Many knights dreamed of owning a dwarf-made sword in their lifetime. To give away such a treasure so casually left the Imperial Guards dumbfounded. Of course, they didn’t want to miss the opportunity.

“Well… Then I’ll gratefully accept it.”

Messeterius nodded nonchalantly at the cautious acceptance. In truth, it was a rare act of generosity for him. His lair was filled with similar weapons, but he was greedy and disliked giving anything away, no matter how small. But perhaps because of the satisfaction of having avenged at least part of the theft, he was in a more generous mood than usual.

Besides, the weapons were enchanted with tracking magic, and human lives were short, so the items would eventually return to him. It was a waste to keep the treasured swords locked away, so he figured it would be alright to let them out into the world for a while. Fortunately, the humans before him seemed skilled to some extent, so they would likely keep the swords sharp while using them.

“Oh, and I don’t care what you do with it, but don’t break it. A broken sword has no value as a decoration.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

The delighted Imperial Guards replied with bright smiles.

When they looked up again, they were surprised to find that the man who had been there just moments before had vanished without a trace. If it weren’t for the treasured swords in their hands, they might have dismissed the encounter as a dream. It was as if they had awakened from a trance.

“Just who was that person?”

“Well, maybe it was a polymorphed dragon?”

“Dragon? Haha, maybe so.”

“No, it’s definitely a dragon. He was incredibly strong. Besides, how many beings in the world can give away such treasures so readily?”

Even as they spoke words that would terrify ordinary people, their expressions remained calm. In fact, their encounter with the Spirit King had diminished their awe of dragons.

If Messeterius had known this, he might have tried to reclaim the swords he had given away, but unfortunately, he lacked the ability to read minds.

For Isana’s knights, it was a very lucky day—they had unexpectedly acquired famous swords for free.