Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 138

6. The Holy Sword Valiant

1

After a period of commotion, the Dark Moon black mages joined, and the research into a cure for the zombie disease accelerated.

In addition to their extensive knowledge of the undead, the various experimental tools they brought were quite helpful in the research.

“This is a magical tool called a microscope. It allows you to see very small objects that are invisible to the human eye,” explained Quintero, the 7th Circle Elder who led the black mages, pointing to a uniquely shaped device.

The microscope consisted of two lenses made by cutting crystals, a body with magic circles engraved on it, a condenser, and a specimen stage for placing the object to be observed.

“At first glance, it looks similar to a telescope artifact.”

Quintero nodded at Marquis Leas’s observation.

“Actually, it’s an improved version of a telescope artifact. When light is gathered from the Light magic circle installed in the condenser, two crystals called the objective lens and the eyepiece magnify the size of objects by tens to hundreds of times, making them visible to our eyes.”

“That’s amazing. But do you need to learn black magic to use it?”

“No. It’s made with general magic knowledge, so anyone can use it regardless of black magic.”

Generally, the magnifying artifacts used by medical mages were just magnifying glasses with added amplification magic circles, so they couldn’t observe objects in great detail.

However, using the microscope, a strand of hair looked as thick as a finger.

“Thanks to the development of this magical tool, we Dark Moon black mages have also been able to make progress in our research into the origins of life.”

“The origins of life?”

Quintero elaborated in response to Luke’s question.

“Yes, Your Majesty. A chick hatches from an egg, but it’s not a chick from the beginning. If you break open a freshly laid egg, all that’s inside is the white and yolk.”

Not only chickens but also humans did not have their fully formed bodies, such as a head and two limbs, from the beginning.

Whether in an egg or in a mother’s womb, they start from a very tiny form and grow.

“In our Dark Moon, there are those who study the very first form, exploring how living things are structured and how they grow, and this microscope was created by them.”

After long research, the mages discovered that living things are made up of very small units called ‘cells’.

“Cells?”

“Yes. Although there are differences in degree, all living things are made up of numerous cells.”

“There’s no such thing written in the scriptures!” Marquis Leas exclaimed.

Having been educated as a priest before becoming a mage, he could not accept Quintero’s words.

At his strong denial, Quintero nodded as if he understood.

“Of course, there are no such words. There are only records that the Goddess of the Earth shaped forms from the soil, and the Lord breathed life into them.”

“You know that well. But why…”

“We are just doing research, not trying to deny the scriptures. When life is lost, the body… no, the cells return to the soil. We believe that the fact that living things are not just simple stones or lumps of soil, but can grow and think for themselves, is clearly due to the power and will of a transcendent being.”

At the words that seemed to acknowledge the existence of God, Marquis Leas fell silent.

Instead, Luke, who had been listening to the story from the side, wore a surprised expression.

The content Quintero had just spoken about was a theory completely unknown to the magic world of the continent, both in the past and now.

‘Amazing. When did black magic develop this much?’

Just as there are various schools in white magic, such as the elemental school, the medical school, and the magical engineering school, it seemed that black magic was also divided into several schools depending on the subject, and they had been conducting various studies.

Even when Luke, in his Seymon days, led the black mages who called him the Black Sage and built the magic tower, there were not many research topics.

Among them, Luke was interested in magical engineering fields such as golem manufacturing, and that remained unchanged even in the era of Gigant.

So, he had no idea that a school had been created in black magic to reveal the origins of life, and that the research had progressed quite deeply.

‘I’ve been busy with this and that, but I need to reflect. I, who was once called the Black Sage, am falling behind my juniors in academics…’

As a monarch who has to perform numerous tasks, there is a clear limit to learning new academics.

Moreover, the current magic is much more diverse than in the past.

Even so, he had to at least grasp what was being researched and how.

That way, he could use the advantages and control the mages under his command.

‘When I get back, I need to raise the magic-related department to the level of the military or finance department. And expand the budget and personnel.’

Anyway, the black mages brought various magical tools in addition to the microscope.

Typical artifacts included protective masks and gloves that prevented toxic substances from entering through the nose and mouth.

These were essential tools for researching the zombie disease, which seemed to be transmitted through bodily fluids.

Thanks to that, the mages and priests of the Holy Artenia Imperial Magic Tower were able to research the zombie disease more safely and thoroughly.

2

Several days had passed since the black mages arrived.

Whether it was due to the purification of the river, the zombie disease did not spread outside of Sachsen.

Moreover, the zombies did not attack Wolfs.

Just like Wilf had done in the village of Ribeck, Luke and the Dark Moon black mages controlled the zombies in the vicinity and isolated them separately.

Thanks to this, not only could the sacrifices of the holy knights and soldiers be reduced, but it was also not necessary to destroy the people who had been forcibly turned into zombies.

Not only that, but they were also able to do something unexpected.

Krrr! Krrr!

“Good heavens, how can a zombie be like that…”

The soldiers on guard duty on the ramparts were speechless at the extraordinary sight unfolding outside the castle.

The zombies were farming, plowing the fields, and weeding, holding farming tools.

Farmland becomes desolate if left unattended.

Therefore, it had to be continuously managed, but they had not been able to do so due to the zombie disease situation.

But now, the zombies had stopped attacking people and were working.

“What on earth happened?”

“I heard from a well-informed priest that the black mages are controlling the zombies.”

“What? Black mages?”

“We should catch them and kill them right now…!”

The soldier calmly explained to his surprised colleagues.

“I heard that not all black mages are bad. As you know, not all priests are good, right?”

“That’s true. The priest in my hometown was also nicknamed the Greedy Pig. He stole so much grain…”

The fellow soldier frowned, recalling the hometown priest who had been expelled for his exploitation.

“Anyway, those conscientious black mages said that they didn’t do this themselves, and they voluntarily stepped forward to show that not all black mages are bad.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, I heard that in a village called Ribeck, the villagers were able to stay safe thanks to the black mages.”

In fact, except for Wilf, it was not voluntary.

It was done under the instructions of Luke and the leaders of the Holy Empire, who had taken a cue from Wilf’s case.

If the fact that a descendant of the hero Rakan had learned black magic, and even the magic of the Demon King Seymon, became known to the world, the repercussions would be enormous.

The leaders of the Holy Empire, who thought it would not be good for Luke himself or their country, which had joined hands with him, kept the truth a secret and spread other information instead.

That was the fact (?) that the soldiers now knew.

“So that’s why the zombies who were running wild are like that now.”

“In a way, it can be said to be useful. You can make them work day and night without giving them food or wages.”

“That’s not right, my friend. If they were criminals, maybe, but those zombies were originally good people. They must be sad to be in that state because of a terrible disease. To make them work until they rot? That’s not something a human should do.”

“Well, that’s true. Anyway, the black mages are helping His Holiness the Pope research a cure for the zombie disease, so there will be results soon.”

While the activities of the black mages were being known and noticed, Luke was isolating a group of zombies that were approaching Wolfs.

Luke, who had seized control of the zombies with undead black magic, drove them into a nearby valley.

“You guys stay there and don’t move. I’ll let you out when a cure is found later.”

Hrrr.

The zombies nodded their heads, as if they understood.

Just in case, Luke piled up large rocks at the entrance of the valley and blocked it off, then turned his steps towards Wolfs.

“Hoo, isolating zombies is not easy either.”

Even though Luke was well-versed in black magic, this was his first time using undead magic.

Moreover, the number of zombies was so large, and trying to control them one by one was not easy even for him, who had extraordinary magical power.

‘If I don’t find a cure soon, I’ll collapse from overwork.’

“Did you come back? You must be very tired?” Reina greeted Luke with a smile as he returned to the lodging.

Luke, who would normally have smiled warmly, wore a dissatisfied expression as he looked at her.

“Why are you still here? I told you to leave the work here to me and my subordinates and go back to Bless to look after the public sentiment?”

Immediately after the black mages joined, Luke told Reina to return to the capital.

No matter how careful you are, you never know what might happen.

If she stayed here, she could be infected with the zombie disease.

At Luke’s words, Reina made a sad face and retorted.

“There might be something I can do.”

“Of course, that might be the case, but… I don’t want you to be in danger anymore.”

“Have you ever thought about my position? I don’t want you to get hurt either.”

Reina had not forgotten the dream she had when she lost consciousness last time, the nightmare of Luke being murdered.

No, she couldn’t forget it.

So, she had made up her mind to make sure that such a thing would never happen.

“Rather than you getting hurt and me being left alone…”

“I understand. I understand, so don’t think bad thoughts.”

Luke, judging that he could not break Reina’s stubbornness, raised his hand and gave up.

But in his mind, he was thinking of using sleep magic or something to send Reina back to Bless.

At that time, a knock was heard from outside the door, as if someone had come.

“Your Majesty, this is Luther.”

“Come in.”

At Reina’s words, Luther opened the door and came in, bringing good news.

“The black mages of Dark Moon have discovered the cause of the zombie disease.”

“Is that really true?” Luke asked, his face lighting up at the news that the first results were finally out.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Please come to the Magic Tower laboratory right away.”

When they arrived at the lab, Duke Leas and Grand Duke Gregory, who had apparently received the report earlier, were already there.

As people gathered, Elder Quintero showed them a microscope and explained, “What you see on the microscope’s stage is a tissue sample taken from a goat infected with the zombie disease. If you look closely, you’ll see parasites attacking the tissue cells indiscriminately.”

At Quintero’s words, Luke, Reina, and the other leaders of the Holy Empire took turns looking into the microscope.

There, they could see small, red, centipede-like bugs wriggling and tearing through the tissue. The number of them was so great and grotesque that everyone quickly averted their eyes.

“To think these things were breeding inside our bodies!” Duke Leas exclaimed in shock, and Quintero gave a wry smile.

“It’s impossible to find them with ordinary observation tools or magic. We had to use a special black magic reagent to stain them and make them visible.”

“Anyway, are you saying that these bugs are the cause of the zombie disease?” Reina asked, and Quintero nodded.

“Yes, we’ve confirmed that these parasites spread throughout the body and cause the disease.”

According to Quintero’s explanation, these parasites, once they infiltrate a living creature, spread through the blood vessels to all parts of the body. They breed most prolifically in the brain, where they release a special toxin that causes the host’s body to decay. They also take over the brain and nervous system, making the host attack other living creatures.

“The reason they attack is to breed more vigorously. No matter how small the parasites are, there’s a limit to how many can attach to one host.”

‘So, they’re looking for another host?’ Luke thought to himself, nodding. Quintero continued, “What’s even more vicious is that these parasites release a deadly toxin when they die. That’s why the bodies of the zombies crumble to ash.”

“Ah, so that’s why zombies turn to ash when divine power is used,” Reina, Duke Leas, and the other priests and mages said, looking like they finally understood.

“Then, if we remove these bugs, can we revive the people who have been turned into zombies?” Reina’s biggest concern was reviving the zombies.

At her question, Quintero answered with a slightly stiff expression, “Theoretically, yes, but we haven’t found a safe way to remove them yet. We’ll need to conduct several more animal experiments before we can see any results.”

“Hmph, I see,” Reina said, showing a hint of disappointment. Grand Duke Gregory and Duke Leas stepped forward to comfort her.

“Your Majesty, now that we know the cause, we’ll soon be able to develop a cure.”

“That’s right. Now that we know the cause, we can consider it half the battle won.”

Reina’s face, which had been clouded with worry, brightened slightly, and she said with a faint smile, “If there’s anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.” As Quintero bowed deeply to Reina, Luke looked at the microscope again.

‘How do we get rid of these hideous things?’

They absolutely could not kill the parasites.

The deadly toxin they released would turn the body to ash.

Then, as he pondered how to remove them without killing them, memories suddenly flashed through his mind.

One was a scene he had witnessed while going around to isolate zombies. Unlike people or their livestock, wild animals did not become undead. Even if they were bitten by a zombie, they would just die, and their corpses would not move again.

Moreover, wild animals did not seem to be affected by the zombie disease. They drank water from the rivers where the disease was spreading without any problems.

‘The fish in the river were fine too. Do the bugs only attach to people and livestock? Or is it something else…’

The other memory was a story he had heard from Priest Luther on the way to Volf. According to him, the disgraced Regent Constantine had performed a miracle by turning zombies back into people. The man, who claimed to be a ‘true apostle of God,’ had even returned to his youthful appearance.

‘That Constantine guy must be connected to the people who spread the disease. Maybe it would be faster to catch him and find out the cure.’

Luke wasn’t the only one who thought so. Grand Duke Gregory was also searching diligently, believing that Constantine was somewhere in the Saxon region.

‘For now, I should focus on what I can do right now.’

With that thought, Luke went outside the castle to catch wild animals. He planned to examine them closely to see why they were not infected by the parasites that caused the zombie disease.

Around the time Luke was working tirelessly to find a cure for the zombie disease in the Holy Empire, Prime Minister Hans of the Symphonia Kingdom was standing in front of a large pond in the royal palace.

This pond had been created when the pit left by the battle with Hiros filled with rainwater.

‘Has His Majesty really learned black magic? If so, how should we act?’

In fact, Hans was not the only one agonizing over this. The high priest, Maron, and the retainers who had served the Rakan family for a long time were also lost in thought.

However, there was no concrete evidence yet, and making this issue public would not benefit the growing Symphonia Kingdom in any way. So, everyone was just suffering in silence.

However, some, feeling frustrated by their solitary worries, had come to Hans to cautiously bring up the topic.

Each time, Hans had scolded them, telling them not to talk nonsense. But in reality, he was also burning up inside.

‘Ancestor Rakan, what should I do?’

As Hans looked up at the sky and lamented inwardly, his secretary rushed to him with shocking news.

“What? You’re saying that while renovating the lord’s manor in the Rakan territory, they found a strange sword on the floor of the underground training ground?”

“Yes, it’s a broken sword, but it looks unusual.”

Since the founding of Symphonia, the Rakan territory had become a royal demesne [land owned by the crown]. The lord’s manor was being renovated to serve as a secondary palace, and in the process, various old artifacts were being discovered.

The sword that had been found was one of those artifacts.

‘The underground training ground is where only the past heads of the family used to train…’

Hans, feeling a sense of foreboding, ordered the sword to be brought to him. The administrator in charge of the site had already sent the sword directly to the capital, so he did not have to wait long.

“Is this the sword?” Hans carefully examined the sword in the wooden box.

It was a bastard sword [a sword with a grip longer than a typical one-handed sword, but shorter than a two-handed sword] that had been broken in the middle, and as the administrator had said, its appearance was extraordinary. It looked like it had been made a long time ago, and the antique Rococo-style bastard sword was emitting a unique glow.

“This material looks like orichalcum,” said Meister Mute of the Katarina Magic Tower, who had been summoned by Hans, after examining the sword.

“Orichalcum? Is that true?”

“Yes, the dazzling glow, the unique sound it makes when struck, and the subtle waves emanating from the metal all indicate that it is definitely orichalcum [a legendary metal known for its strength and magical properties].”

The material was surprising, but what was even more surprising was something else.

It was the two symbols engraved on the handle. One was the wooden cross flag, the symbol of the Elkasel Order, and the other was an angel holding a shining sword.

The latter was similar to the symbol of the Rakan family.

No, it was exactly the same.

‘A sword made of orichalcum with these two symbols…!’

Duke Hans, searching his memory, jumped up from his seat.

“The Holy Sword Valiant!”

“Yes? Is that really it?”

“That’s right! This sword completely matches the description of the Holy Sword Valiant that the hero Rakan used!”

Hans and Mute could not hide their excitement.

The Valiant had disappeared along with the death of the founder. There were rumors that it had been taken by the Baroque Imperial Family, and that it had been returned to the Holy Empire after Seimon’s death.

But none of it was certain. There were so many people who wanted it that there were even rumors that Rakan had deliberately made fakes and spread them around in his later years.

“To think that the Holy Sword we’ve been searching for was in the underground training ground of the lord’s manor!”

“Haha, it seems the darkest place is under the lamp…”

The problem was why the sword had been broken in half.

Orichalcum was a metal that would not break unless it was subjected to a significant impact, and the person who had made the Valiant was Zig, a legendary master craftsman of the past.

‘There shouldn’t have been anyone in that era who could break this?’

Hans and Mute, feeling suspicious, began to examine the Valiant closely. Then, they discovered one peculiarity.

It was that the broken blade of the Valiant was covered with tiny letters.

They were so small and densely packed that at first, they thought it was just a pattern engraved on the blade.

“Can you read what’s written there?”

“Well, it’s so small that I can’t read it…” Mute said, holding the blade carefully, with a troubled expression.

Just as he was thinking about using an enlargement spell, sunlight came through the window and reflected off the blade.

Flash!

The dazzlingly reflected light illuminated the shaded wall on the opposite side.

Then, surprisingly, the letters engraved on the blade were magnified and revealed.

“Huh! It seems we can see it this way.”

“Yes, it seems the founder arranged it so that it couldn’t be seen normally.”

Mute and Hans carefully read the words reflected on the wall, their hearts filled with curiosity and anticipation.

‘If anyone is reading the words inscribed on this sword, then I am no longer alive.’

‘My name is Rakan.’

‘I was a Holy Knight of the Divine Artenia Empire, and I was revered as a hero of the continent for having slain the black magician known as the Demon King, Seymon.’

‘However, looking back now, this was an act that will forever stain my life, as well as the history of the continent.’

The two were shocked by the founder Rakan’s recollection.

Killing the Demon King Seymon was a stain?

Why on earth did the founder think that way?

Confused, they hurriedly read on.

‘When I killed Seymon, the nobles and the common people who didn’t know him well cheered.’

‘However, the people of the southern region of the Kingdom of Livia, who were thought to have been oppressed under his rule, did not rejoice; rather, they resented me.’

‘The elves and other fairies regarded me as their mortal enemy.’

‘They accused me of doing something irreversible.’

‘I, still young and naive, did not understand them.’

‘It was only after the country was ruined by the usurper Duke Barok that I realized my mistake.’

‘Only after losing the lord I had served with all my heart and the brave and loyal vassals did I clearly understand what kind of people Duke Barok, the nobles who clung to him, and the great magician Arsen were.’

‘Seymon, when he fought me, called them wolves in sheep’s clothing.’

‘He was right.’

‘Duke Barok’s faction was not only eating away at the country but was also a treacherous group of traitors who had usurped the throne, using fools like me.’

‘They were demons who, with their dirty greed, seized the land of the people and treated them like beasts.’

‘I was a puppet of those demons, and when my usefulness was gone, I was thrown away like trash.’

‘How could this be? How could the founder say such things…’

Hans looked utterly dismayed at Rakan’s resentful recollection.

That the usurper Carno de Barok was a sinister figure was a fact acknowledged by anyone who had studied history.

However, he was also the hero who founded the Barok Kingdom, which later became the Empire.

And no matter how much they hated them, to side with the claims of the black magician Seymon!

‘Having lost everything and being stuck in the borderlands, I wanted to know more about Seymon.’

‘I listened to the stories of those who knew him, even a little, and in the process, I learned that Seymon was not the evil person he was known to be.’

‘He took land from the nobles and distributed it to the people, and he liberated the fairies who were unfairly discriminated against.’

‘He selected talented people regardless of their status, and despite researching black magic, he did not collude with the demons.’

‘When I think about it, he was just trying to change the world.’

‘Of course, the rulers would not have stood idly by while the existing order was overturned.’

‘Since there was no compromise, a fight broke out, and naturally, it escalated into a bloody war.’

‘In that war, I became an assassin who killed the enemy’s leader.’

‘I thought that in order to eliminate the wicked forces of evil, I had to use any means necessary.’

‘The powerful who won the war through the despicable act of assassination promoted me as a hero and used me for propaganda.’

‘Intoxicated by ambition and heroism, I foolishly played along with their tune.’

Hans and Mute’s expressions were grim.

Because the common sense they had known until now had been completely shattered.

“Could it be that someone else wrote this and not the founder?”

“I wish I could think so… but the writing style and the spelling of the words are exactly the same as those used 500 years ago.”

Moreover, the sword itself is genuine.

Who would play such a prank on a sword that no one has known the whereabouts of for hundreds of years?

If they had found it, instead of engraving words that defended the Demon King Seymon on the sword, they would have tried to gain benefits by using the authority of the hero’s sword.

“Even if Seymon’s remaining followers did it, there’s no reason to keep it hidden or neglected for so long. So, we have to assume this is real.”

“Well, let’s read the rest of the sentences.”

Hans and Mute continued to read the remaining text.

‘The reason I broke this precious holy sword is not only to reflect on my mistakes but also because I do not want the vile and greedy to use this sword to pursue their own interests.’

‘I urge whoever finds this sword.’

‘If there is someone in your time who seeks to change the world, someone who is not bound by old customs and seeks to reform the unjust order, then give him your support.’

‘Even if the whole world slanders him, take his side.’

‘If you do so, this sword, which contains my will, will shine again and become your strength.’

After reading the last sentence, the two remained silent for a while, then Mute spoke first.

“What are you going to do now? If this fact is revealed, the world will be turned upside down.”

“I know. I think it would be best to discuss it with His Majesty when he returns.”

“I think so too.”

Having decided that, the two put the broken holy sword back into the wooden box.

Although they had temporarily settled the matter, the shock caused by the memoir left by the founder Rakan did not easily subside.

4

The clue to the zombie disease was found.

However, that did not mean that a cure was immediately developed.

The black magicians of the Dark Moon, led by Quintero, collaborated with the mages of the Artenia Imperial Magic Tower to find a way to safely remove the parasites that cause the zombie disease.

In this process, a method of using a special reagent was proposed, as well as treatment through an improved purification magic circle. There was even a method using black magic.

However, these methods only succeeded in removing the parasites, and none of them could turn zombies back into humans.

In the meantime, the animal experiments started by Luke received attention.

It was based on the fact that wild animals did not contract the zombie disease. When the body fluids containing the zombie disease parasites were injected into fish or wild animals, the parasites were unable to function and were destroyed.

“Is there some kind of antibody in the bodies of wild animals?”

Luke shook his head at Reina’s question.

“I don’t think so. Just in case, I tried injecting the blood of wild animals into infected people, but it didn’t have much effect.”

“Didn’t have much effect… that sounds like it had some effect?”

“That’s right. It did somewhat reduce the proliferation and activity of the parasites. But that was it.”

It was while they were repeating experiments and discussions every day to find a cure that surprising news was delivered to Reina, who was having a private meeting with Grand Duke Gregory early in the morning.

“Your Holiness, a magic communicator just received a magic communication from Bremen, and surprisingly, Archbishop Antero is said to be alive.”

Reina was shocked at the messenger’s words.

“What did you say? Is that true?”

“Yes, it was definitely Archbishop Antero’s voice. And not only the Archbishop, but the voices of other people were also heard.”

It was thought that the city of Bremen had been completely taken over by zombies and that Archbishop Antero had also died after losing contact.

But that wasn’t the case!

Grand Duke Gregory, who was next to Reina, asked.

“Why haven’t they contacted us all this time?”

“Well… when the city was captured, they lost the magic communication device while fleeing from the undead. They barely recovered it recently and were able to contact us now.”

According to the explanation of the magic communicator who received the call from Archbishop Antero, the Archbishop hid in the basement of the main temple when Bremen was taken over by zombies.

In old temples, there were often maze-like passages and secret rooms in the basement in preparation for past attacks by pagans [non-believers].

These secret places were sometimes used for meditation or ascetic activities, so they were equipped with drinking water and emergency food.

It seems that Archbishop Antero and his party had been hiding there.

“But Archbishop Antero said something strange. He said that there is a clue to solving the zombie disease in Bremen… and that the clue will be solved when Your Holiness comes.”

Reina was surprised at the messenger’s words.

“A clue to solving the zombie disease?”

“Yes, but I couldn’t get the details. Because the magic communication was cut off in the middle.”

Also, just before the communication was cut off, there was a rather loud noise along with a shout that they had to run away.

“Oh dear, it seems something has happened to them. We must go and rescue Archbishop Antero and his party right away!”

Grand Duke Gregory was startled and tried to dissuade Reina from her determination.

“Your Holiness, that place is completely taken over by zombies!”

“But there are people waiting for rescue. If we don’t hurry, they might be annihilated by the zombie attack.”

“Our Undying Knights will take care of that. Please stay here, Your Holiness.”

“But they said there’s a clue to curing the zombie disease in Bremen. And they said that the clue will be solved if I go.”

“I believe it is not too late to go to Bremen after safety is secured. So please, refrain from doing so.”

In fact, even Wolfsburg was quite dangerous.

Although all the zombies had been driven out, there was a risk of being infected with the zombie disease.

Of course, since Luke came, they were purifying the water before drinking it and were taking great care not to come into contact with the body fluids of zombies, but accidents could happen anytime, anywhere.

So, when the Pope said that she would go to a more dangerous place, Gregory could not help but dissuade her.

When Reina did not easily give up her intention, he asked Luke for help.

Luke, who had heard Grand Duke Gregory’s message, jumped up and ran to persuade Reina.

“I will go to Bremen instead. Rescuing the people trapped in the city will be enough for me and the Royal Knights.”

In fact, with Luke and the Royal Knights’ skills, they could easily handle a few thousand zombies.

This was because Luke’s subspace bracelet contained as many Gigantes [giant magical constructs] as there were Royal Knights.

Therefore, rescuing survivors, rather than retaking Bremen, was as easy as eating soup.

“But Archbishop Antero asked me to come.”

“I heard why he said that. But I think it’s dangerous to go to Bremen when it’s not clear what the clue is.”

“I know what you’re worried about. But what if we miss the opportunity by mistake? There’s a limit to sealing off the Saxon region. The longer we delay, the more people will suffer and fall into chaos.”

Luke could not back down from Reina’s plea.

“Okay, but you’ll only go to the outskirts of Bremen. I and the Royal Knights will enter the city first and rescue the Archbishop’s party, and if a dangerous situation arises, you must retreat immediately.”

“Okay. I will.”

Having barely persuaded Reina, Luke and Grand Duke Gregory immediately organized a unit and departed for Bremen.