Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 180

1. The Fight to Buy Time

1

Shortly after the 200,000-strong army departed Sherwood Castle, Symphonia and its allies declared war on the Baroque Empire.

Rudolph, who had been monitoring the restoration progress of the underground ruins, hurried back to his office to receive a report from Count Voltaire.

“What? Are you saying six nations, led by the Symphonia Kingdom, have declared war on us?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The Holy Arternia Empire, the Volga Republic, the Kingdom of Castia, the Kingdom of Irea, and the Duchy of Navar have formed a military alliance.”

“Tch, I should have known Luke was planning something when he was so quiet!”

He never imagined that six nations would turn against the Baroque Empire. Even Navar, a former vassal state, had joined them.

At most, he thought Symphonia, the Holy Empire, and maybe the Volga Republic would join forces.

“What exactly is their reason?”

If six nations declared war simultaneously, there had to be a significant cause.

Even in the world of international politics, where schemes and plots are common, justification is still important.

“Well… they claim that our empire is secretly weaponizing Bers [a highly contagious and deadly pathogen], and they demand that we cease all research, dismantle related facilities and personnel, and submit to unrestricted inspections.”

“What? We’re weaponizing Bers?”

There was a time when the Baroque Imperial Magic Tower researched Bers.

It wasn’t just research; they had even tried to spread the pathogen in the border fortresses and cities of the Lybia Kingdom to cause chaos.

However, that operation failed, and the Bers pathogen accidentally spread to Nemesis, causing great damage.

The number of citizens who died at the time was considerable, and the loss of public support and human and material resources during the suppression process has not yet been recovered, even after several years.

As a result, the mages who were researching Bers were either executed or demoted, and all research facilities were dismantled.

But they’re saying we’re still researching the Bers pathogen?

Rudolph made an incredulous expression, and Count Voltaire continued.

“Whether it’s true or not is not important. The problem is that they have begun military action.”

“What? They’ve already started military action?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We are currently gathering information, but it appears that the forces of the Volga Republic, the Holy Empire, and the Symphonia Kingdom are rapidly gathering at fortresses and cities near the border. If we do not accept their demands, they will undoubtedly cross the border.”

“Tch! These fools have lost their minds.”

Although the Baroque Empire’s national power had been halved over the past few years, it was once the most powerful nation that dominated the Rodisia continent.

Even now, it is a military power with a population of tens of millions and over a thousand Gigants [large, powerful war machines].

Although they could not win against six nations simultaneously, they could still inflict considerable damage if they fought to the death.

But where did they get such ridiculous information to declare war so fearlessly!

“If they attack, can we stop them?”

Accepting their demands was practically impossible.

This was because there was a high possibility that the ancient ruins under the Imperial Palace would be exposed during the inspection.

“To be honest, our empire alone cannot stop six nations.”

“Then?”

Rudolph, frowning with displeasure, asked.

Count Voltaire knelt and advised.

“Join hands with the Lybia Kingdom.”

“What? Are you saying we should rely on that incompetent Leykart?”

“That is the only way to stop the enemies. Please, for the sake of the empire’s survival, put aside your grudges for now!”

The reason why the Lybia Kingdom did not declare war with these six nations was probably because of their strained relationship.

He had heard that the Lybian monster army had suddenly invaded the Symphonia Kingdom not long ago, and this was likely the reason.

‘Although I don’t know the reason, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Baroque Empire. We must make it happen!’

Count Voltaire looked determined, and Emperor Rudolph spoke.

“Very well. I will accept your advice.”

“Really?”

Voltaire looked up, and Rudolph spoke, his face suppressing his anger.

“Yes, because we must protect the country for now.”

In his heart, he wanted to crush the Lybia Kingdom first.

However, the most important thing for him now was the ancient ruins.

If he could activate them, he could turn back time and repay all the humiliation he had suffered so far.

To do this, he needed to buy time.

However, neither of them knew that Leykart was just a shell, and that Arsen was occupying his body, and that the continental allied forces were targeting not only the Baroque Empire but also the Lybia Kingdom.

2

The news of the continental allied forces declaring war on the Baroque Empire also reached the Lybia Kingdom.

“What? Are you saying six nations on the Rodisia continent have declared war on the Baroque Empire?”

“Yes, Ancestor.”

Upon Jemerton’s report, Arsen jumped up from his seat, then smiled.

After the previous failed invasion by the monster army and the Grenada pirates, he had been worried about Symphonia’s continuous military buildup.

In addition, he had recently received information that the Holy Empire, Castia, and the Kingdom of Irea were sending troops to Symphonia.

He wondered if they were trying to retaliate for the previous monster army attack.

Moreover, the internal situation of the Lybia Kingdom was not good due to the incident caused by Zehart.

In such a situation, if the six-nation allied forces invaded, the country would be destroyed, and he might not even be able to use the undead he had been painstakingly creating.

The grand plan he had been working on would be ruined.

He had been secretly anxious, but it turned out that the six nations’ swords were pointed at the Baroque Empire.

“What is their reason for invading?”

“According to our informants, it’s because Emperor Rudolph tried to weaponize Bers.”

“What? Bers?”

“Yes, Ancestor. That’s why there was a big incident in Nemesis a few years ago.”

Arsen also knew about Bers.

The plague that had brought ruin to ancient civilization.

He also knew that the incident in Nemesis was caused by Shykan, who was instigated by Magreta.

He had seen the top-secret documents left by Shykan during the process of taking over the Lybia Kingdom.

“Is Rudolph really trying to modify Bers into a weapon?”

“I’m not sure, but we have detected large-scale magical experiments being conducted in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, given Rudolph’s personality, he is more than capable of doing so.”

At Jemerton’s answer, Arsen burst into anger.

“That crazy bastard! There are things you shouldn’t touch, and he had to pick such a terrible thing!”

The reason he was cursing Rudolph was not just because he was trying to weaponize Bers.

It was because if many people died because of Bers, there would be a shortage of materials to create the undead army.

The scary thing about the undead is that those who are attacked by the undead become undead themselves.

However, if the Bers pathogen spreads and the population of the Rodisia continent decreases significantly, it would be a huge loss of power.

“What will you do, Ancestor?”

“What is there to do? We just have to watch.”

It was none of Arsen’s business if Rudolph or the Baroque Empire fell.

However, Elder Jemerton seemed to think differently.

“After the Baroque Empire falls, where will Luke’s sword be pointed?”

It was not yet time to wage war against the continent.

The undead creation was not yet complete, and the zombie poison was still being administered to the people of Lybia.

They needed at least another year, or at least six months.

“We need time. Moreover, the incident caused by Prince Zehart has disrupted our plans in many ways.”

“So, are you saying we should help the Baroque Empire?”

Arsen glared as if he didn’t like the idea, and Jemerton broke out in a cold sweat.

In fact, he had received a magical communication from Count Voltaire of the Baroque Empire just before reporting to Arsen.

He proposed that they put aside their past grudges and cooperate to defeat the continental allied forces.

Moreover, Voltaire was also aware of the future situation.

He said that after the fall of the Baroque Empire, the next target would be the Lybia Kingdom.

Of course, the Baroque Empire did not know that the Lybia Kingdom was creating undead. Nor did they know that the kingdom’s leadership was brainwashed by Arsen’s dark magic.

However, they warned that the Lybia Kingdom was also in danger, citing the fact that the monster army had invaded the Symphonia Kingdom.

Jemerton also took the current situation seriously and thought that they should join hands for a while to buy time to complete the undead forces.

However, it did not seem easy to change Arsen’s mind.

So, he decided to persuade the Ancestor by changing his words slightly.

“We don’t necessarily need to form an alliance with the Baroque Empire. Instead, we can pretend to help them, buy as much time as possible, and inflict massive damage on the six-nation allied forces.”

“We need time…”

Arsen was lost in thought for a moment.

Just as Jemerton was swallowing his saliva in tension, Arsen nodded.

“Indeed, we need to buy time. Very well, we will help the Baroque Empire for a while. The problem is how to help them…”

The monster army had been depleted in the previous war with Symphonia, so it would take time to gather them again.

It was also difficult to dispatch the kingdom’s army, which was composed of humans.

While the key figures of the military were brainwashed, the knights and soldiers on the front lines were not.

They would not understand at all if they were told to help the Baroque Empire, whom they had been fighting against until now.

Moreover, the current kingdom’s army was busy suppressing the riots of the people due to the soaring prices.

As he made a troubled expression, Jemerton stepped forward.

“I don’t think there is any other way than to secretly dispatch dark mages.”

“I think so too, but I don’t like the idea of gradually depleting our forces like that.”

Already, nearly a hundred dark mages and two former elders had died in the last war alone.

It would be a disaster if dispatching dark mages recklessly caused problems with the undead creation.

‘Should I go myself?’

He wanted to test the dark magic and Draconian power he had recovered in actual combat.

He wondered what kind of power would be produced when these two forces were combined.

However, he still had an important task left: the creation of the undead, in addition to increasing his power to face Luke.

As Arsen was pondering this, Jemerton clapped his hands as if he had come up with a good idea.

“There is a force that we can use.”

“There is?”

“Yes, the refugees who have flowed in from Grenada.”

The Kingdom of Grenada, which had recklessly invaded Symphonia, was destroyed by the Holy Empire’s navy.

The capital, Rondo, and major ports were occupied, and the lords and nobles of each region were arrested.

After that, many people fled from all over Grenada by boat.

This procession of refugees, called ‘boat people,’ included not only nobles but also many ordinary citizens.

This was because rumors spread that after Fernand’s execution, those involved in past pirate activities, regardless of their status, would be arrested and severely punished.

The number of these refugees was as high as hundreds of thousands.

These boat people headed to the Lybia Kingdom.

Except for that place, no other kingdom would accept the notorious Grenada pirates.

The Lybia Kingdom would never have accepted them if it had not intended to expand its foreign trade or naval power.

“So, you’re saying we should hire the pirates as mercenaries and send them to the Baroque Empire?”

“Yes, we can infiltrate a few dark mages among them and spread zombie poison during the battle.”

“Spread zombie poison?”

“Yes, spreading zombie poison can maximize damage regardless of friend or foe. And even if the dark mages are caught, it doesn’t matter. We can blame it on the Baroque Empire for hiring them.”

The Baroque Empire had already secretly employed dark mages in collaboration with the old Veritas Magic Tower.

Framing them would be easier than flipping a palm.

“Heh heh! Good, proceed as planned. Tell the dark mages dispatched to the Baroque Empire to confess that Emperor Rudolph hired them if they are captured. No, it would be fun to have one or two of them deliberately captured.”

“Yes, I will proceed with that.”

Several days later, the Lybia Kingdom unofficially sent reinforcements to the Baroque Empire.

It wasn’t for the sake of the Baroque Empire, but to buy time for themselves.

Ironically, Emperor Rudolph had the same intention.

3

The 200,000-strong Continental Allied Forces that crossed the border were divided into three main legions and advanced towards Nemesis.

The 1st Legion, led by Marquis Rogers, the commander-in-chief, consisted of about 80,000 troops from Symphonia and the Holy Empire.

There were no troops stationed in the southern part of the Baroque Empire to stop them.

This was because most of the forces were concentrated in the north or the imperial capital due to the war with the Volga Republic.

The southern imperial forces were only capable of suppressing monsters or controlling refugees trying to cross the border.

As a result, the lords and generals of the castles and fortresses along the invasion route either waved white flags or firmly locked their gates.

Ferrero, who was the vice-commander of the 1st Legion, and Count D’Arlang, took the lead in persuading those who were holding their defenses.

They could have wiped them out if they wanted to, but what was important for the Continental Allied Forces right now was time.

They needed to advance to Nemesis quickly and root out the Rudolph faction, so it was necessary to avoid battles as much as possible.

“Baron Rospol, the fate of the Baroque Empire is already sealed. Is there any need to be loyal to an emperor who doesn’t recognize a capable general like you?”

“A true knight does not compromise with injustice.”

Ferrero sighed softly at Rospol’s words, who was in charge of defending the gateway fortress to the imperial capital.

He had always known that his friend was stubborn, but he did not expect him to act this way even in this situation.

“Is it unjust to ask you to clear the way? Then, is it not unjust to condone the actions of a mad emperor who massacres innocent people and even digs up the graves of his ancestors?”

“That is…”

As Rospol tried to argue, Count D’Arlang stepped in and made a sharp remark.

“Baron Rospol, you are a descendant of a founding contributor. So, I understand your loyalty to the imperial family. But have you thought about the soldiers and citizens who will die in a battle they cannot win because of your stubbornness?”

Of course, he had thought about it.

In fact, the knights and soldiers of the fortress were wavering.

Even the knights who had accompanied Rospol to the meeting were showing signs that they wished their superior would give up his stubbornness.

“Your dedication to a country on the verge of ruin may be praised by posterity. But those who die because of your stubbornness will not even be remembered. Will you still insist on your own honor?”

Rospol was lost in thought at Count D’Arlang’s words.

After a while, he seemed to have made a decision and revealed his intentions.

“I will not surrender to you.”

“So, you’re going to the end…”

“But I have no intention of fighting in this fortress. It would be useless to fight with those who have no will to fight anyway.”

After saying that, Rospol returned to the fortress and summoned his troops.

Then, he gathered volunteers who were willing to fight with him and left the fortress.

They entered the fortress without bloodshed, but Count Ferrero could not shake off his bitterness.

“That fool, he’s still being stubborn.”

“Emperor Rudolph was foolish not to recognize such a person.”

“Well, maybe such inflexibility was a nuisance to the emperor.”

A few days later, Ferrero and D’Arlang met Rospol again.

It was when they entered Castang, a city north of the gateway fortress.

The lord of Castang immediately raised a white flag and surrendered when the Allied Forces arrived.

The problem was what he brought as a gift of surrender, which left Ferrero and D’Arlang speechless.

“This is…”

“These are the heads of Baron Rospol, the commander of the gateway fortress defense, and his subordinates. They came a few days ago and insisted on fighting, so I took care of them.”

The lord, who seemed to be quick-witted, gave a servile smile.

D’Arlang could not say anything and just shook his head, while Ferrero let out a deep sigh.

When he saw Rospol defending an emperor and an empire that no longer had any justification to protect, he had expected that he would not have a peaceful death.

But he never imagined that he would be disgracefully assassinated by a traitor, not as an honorable warrior on the battlefield.

For some reason, Count Ferrero felt disgusted and angry, and a murderous aura flared up from his body.

The lord of Castang, who was directly hit by the murderous aura, turned pale.

“Heeik! D-Did I do something wrong…”

“Ugh, it’s nothing. Just go back.”

Ferrero, who barely suppressed his emotions, gestured, and the lord retreated from the spot as if fleeing.

D’Arlang, who had been watching this scene from the side, smiled wryly and said.

“From our perspective, he’s a meritorious person, but I can’t see him in a good light.”

“Yes, we’ll see this kind of thing many more times in the future. And we need to remember clearly who is thinking what and doing what.”

This would greatly contribute to distinguishing the good from the bad after the war through the distribution of rewards.

What Ferrero and D’Arlang had to do now was not to sympathize with the dead.

It was to shed less unnecessary blood and make the Allied Forces advance to Nemesis as quickly as possible.

After taking over the city of Castang, the two went to the 1st Legion camp outside the city walls and reported to Marquis Rogers.

“So, that’s what happened?”

“Yes, I ordered the soldiers to collect the bodies of Rospol and his subordinates and bury them with respect.”

“You handled it well.”

Marquis Rogers nodded with a calm face.

Just as the two were about to leave the commander’s tent, a messenger suddenly rushed in and reported.

“It’s a disaster, Commander-in-Chief! A large army has appeared from the west and is rushing towards us!”

“What? A large army?”

“Yes, it looks like there are at least 100,000, and many Gigants [large humanoid war machines] have been spotted.”

The commanders in the commander’s tent were excited by the messenger’s report.

It was because they could finally fight a proper enemy.

“Are they coming after emptying the border? Still, it shouldn’t be more than 100,000?”

Rogers tilted his head.

There were units guarding the border with the Lybia Kingdom in the west of the Baroque Empire.

However, according to the intelligence department’s report, they had also lost a significant number of troops due to the war with Volga, and they were only at the level of defending the border.

“Anyway, the 3rd Legion, which is advancing to the northwest, is urgently requesting support.”

It was true that the Baroque Empire still had some power, but it was impossible for a 100,000-strong army to suddenly appear out of nowhere.

Rogers was puzzled, but he decided to send reinforcements immediately.

This was because the 3rd Legion, which consisted of 60,000 troops from the Kingdom of Castille and the Duchy of Navarre, could not stop them alone.

He gave Count Ferrero 20,000 troops and 50 Gigants and had him support the 3rd Legion.

4

Luke, who had decided to move separately from the Allied Forces.

He decided to use long-range teleportation magic several times to move near Nemesis.

It would take time to go by horse, and if he was discovered by the enemy, it could cause troublesome problems.

Whoosh!

The moment a white light flashed in an empty clearing in a secluded forest, about 100 people appeared from within.

They were the special forces led by Luke.

They included Hwangbo-sung and the Royal Knights, Scarlett, who had successfully completed several special missions, Shirley, who was familiar with the geography of Nemesis, and the court mage Erewyn.

In addition, Cho Mimee and Princess Jahye, who had recently come to Symphonia, were also traveling with their bodyguards.

After briefly looking around to see if there were any suspicious people, Luke gave instructions.

“We will stop here for today. Prepare the camp.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Hwangbo-sung quickly divided the Royal Knights into two groups, one to prepare the camp and the other to prepare dinner.

While the knights were scattered and doing their respective jobs, Cho Mimee and Jahye laid out blankets and lay down.

“Ugh! I can’t get used to teleportation.”

“Me too. I feel dizzy and nauseous…”

When the two princesses, who did not look well, clung to Luke and whined, Erewyn said sarcastically from the side.

“I told you that you didn’t have to push yourselves to come.”

“What are you talking about! Where the needle goes, the thread follows!” [A Korean idiom meaning they go where their leader goes]

“That’s right! Your Majesty and we are a community of fate!”

‘You are in my fantasy.’

Erewyn, recalling a very old verse, snorted inwardly.

Luke was only taking them because he thought they might be useful.

But both of them were mistaken, as if they had been recognized for their engagement.

‘Well, I’m not in a position to laugh.’

Erewyn sighed softly.

Just before leaving Brenden, she had subtly conveyed her feelings to Luke with Jegal Soha. More strongly than before!

But Luke had not given any answer.

Jegal Soha lamented that it was still a long way to go, but it seemed that it was not in vain.

The way he looked at her was not as cold or calculating as before.

‘But I’ve been feeling a strange aura since earlier, what is it?’

Erewyn looked around with a puzzled expression.

Unlike her, Luke had noticed who the source of the aura was from the beginning.

He looked at a certain point in the forest and smiled.

‘He’s following well, isn’t he?’

His gaze was directed at Karen, who had just finished teleporting and was hiding.

It was not easy to find out the coordinates of someone else’s teleportation, but as expected of a promising talent proven in the era of the end, her magical abilities were outstanding.

“Your Majesty, dinner is ready. Please eat.”

Hwangbo-sung brought a plate of freshly boiled soup and bread.

Luke nodded and pointed to the forest, speaking softly to Hwangbo-sung.

“Give some to that side too.”

“Yes?”

“There’s a tomboy who’s hungry from chasing us.”

Hwangbo-sung, who had initially tilted his head, soon understood the meaning of his words.

He used his light footwork and ran like lightning to the place Luke had pointed to.

Then, he found a small girl in travel clothes hiding behind a tree.

“Princess Karen!”

Karen was startled when Hwangbo-sung appeared.

She had completely erased her presence with magic and was hiding, so how did he find out?

Even if he was a Fist Sage, she was confident that her stealth magic would be enough to avoid being detected.

“H-How did you know I was hiding here?”

“Well, His Majesty told me.”

At Hwangbo-sung’s words, Karen looked at her father with a pouty face.

Luke was still pretending not to know, sitting on a tree stump and tearing off a piece of bread.

‘Daddy is mean. He knew all along, but he pretended not to know?’

They thought they were following quite secretly. It seemed like what Nanda had said before, ‘Within the palm of the World Honored One’s hand,’ was something like this. Hwangbo-sung glared at Karen, who was grumbling inwardly, and asked, “Since when have you been following us? Did you get permission from His Holiness the Pope, or rather, Her Majesty the Queen?” “No, I snuck out. If Mom knew, she would never let me go.” Hwangbo-sung sighed deeply at her response, sticking her tongue out slightly. “Haa… I never knew the Princess had such a tomboyish side! Anyway, let’s go to His Majesty.” Hwangbo-sung had received memories from his future self. Because of that, he knew Karen’s true identity, and since they had been together for a long time, he thought he knew her well. But she was causing such trouble! ‘No, has her personality changed since coming to the past?’ The future Karen always had a stern expression from a young age due to the immense pressure she carried. She was like an old soul in a young body. But seeing the mischievous smile on her face now, he was relieved that her personality seemed to have brightened. Thinking that, Hwangbo-sung took Karen to Luke. Luke, who had been warming his fists, immediately flicked Karen’s forehead when she arrived. Thwack! “Ouch!” “You brat, do you even know how worried your mother is?” Karen, whose eyes were actually watering from the pain, rubbed her forehead and asked, “I’m sorry about that. But when did you know I was following you, Dad?” “From when we left Brenden. You might have thought you hid yourself well, but people who use Aether [a magical energy] can sense a unique energy. I caught that energy the first day you came to Brenden.” “Tch, if I had known, I would have just followed openly.” “That would have been impossible. Your mother would have come to catch you in a flash.” Indeed, her mother was someone who would have done just that. She probably knew by now that she had disappeared and would have turned the Imperial Palace upside down. 5 “Who is that child?” “She’s so cute, it’s almost adorable.” Jo Mimi and Jahye, who had regained their energy and were eating the food provided by the guards, looked bewildered when they discovered Karen. She was definitely not among the group when they departed. Unlike them, Erewin, who had been tracking the suspicious energy, had a knowing expression. “That is Princess Karen. His Majesty’s daughter.” “His Majesty’s daughter?” The two were startled. They had already heard that Luke had married when they were in their home country. However, they had not met the Queen since arriving in the Symphonia Kingdom. What was even more puzzling was that most of the palace people did not know of the Queen’s existence. Regarding this, Prime Minister Hans had explained it this way. “Her Majesty the Queen is not in good health and is recuperating somewhere. Moreover, His Majesty has many enemies, so he does not want to reveal the existence of his family to the outside world.” It sounded plausible, but something felt suspicious. Then they saw his daughter. And that too, while secretly infiltrating the enemy camp. “I didn’t know there would be a girl as big as her.” “Perhaps he had an early marriage.” “Then, if we become His Majesty’s partners, will we become that child’s mother?” “Hahaha, we’ll have to get along well in the future.” Listening to the two’s conversation, Erewin smiled faintly. They didn’t seem to suspect that she was an adopted daughter at all. That was because Luke and Karen looked so much alike that one could believe they were father and daughter. ‘It seems like there’s some story behind this…’ According to what Erewin had observed, Luke and Hwangbo-sung seemed to know Karen’s identity. However, they never mentioned it. It was as if mentioning it would cause a great disaster. “But don’t they seem to be arguing right now?” “They do. I wonder what’s going on?” As the princesses said, Karen was currently arguing with Luke. “I don’t want to, I’m not going.” “Listen to your father. We’re not going sightseeing right now.” “I know. We’re going to the Nemesis Imperial Palace, right? To stop Rudolph from using the underground ruins.” ‘Ruins?’ Erewin and the others, who were secretly eavesdropping on their conversation, looked puzzled. As far as they knew, the reason Luke had declared war on the Baroque Empire this time was because Rudolph was trying to create a weapon using the notorious plague called Bers. The reason this separate unit was organized and moving separately was to eliminate the plague before the Imperial Army could spread it. ‘Is he making Bers into a weapon at those ruins?’ Luke glanced at Erewin’s group, who were tilting their heads, and then advised Karen again. “This is war. It’s not something for a naive child to get involved in.” “I’m not naive!” At Karen’s outburst, Luke belatedly realized what kind of being she was. She was the genius mage who was considered the only hope of the future world that had been destroyed by the undead, a world that had now disappeared. Although she had lost her original power and her body had turned into that of a child in the process of reversing time, her experience and combat sense would not have diminished. And she would have recovered some of her Aether in the process of escaping the divine punishment. “I’m not as good as before, but I’m stronger than Dad.” “That joke is hard to take.” Luke’s expression hardened as if Karen’s words had offended him. However, instead of apologizing, Karen provoked Luke as if she had made up her mind. “You don’t want to admit it, do you? That all of Dad’s magic and swordsmanship are outdated.” “What? Outdated?” “Yes, because they’re from a generation ago.” From Karen’s perspective, it was true that they were from a generation ago. It was she who had learned and developed the legacy left behind by Luke, who had died in vain. ‘Oh no!’ Hwangbo-sung, who had been hesitating whether to stop the two, had a look of helplessness. It was because Karen had gone too far, not just being stubborn. Clearly, Karen was a genius among geniuses, proficient not only in magic and swordsmanship but also in divine power and Taoism. But in his eyes, Luke was no less than her. No, he had actually improved even more after going on an expedition to the Southern Continent, which did not exist in the world Karen came from. Moreover, although it was not known to the outside world, he had recently learned the secret Guangfa Records of the newly acquired Divine Spear from the Southern Continent. To utter words that would scratch his pride in front of him! “Even if it’s outdated, it depends on how you use it.” “People who can’t keep up with the times tend to make excuses like that.” “The new generation can pave new paths because of the contributions of the old generation.” “You’re talking like an old man. I thought Dad was still in his prime.” As Karen kept talking back, Luke’s patience reached its limit. He knew well that she was doing this to help him. However, he did not want his daughter, who had experienced a bleak and harsh fate in the future, to get involved in dangerous things. And also… ‘Even if you look down on me, there’s a limit. You don’t trust me, who was called the Demon King in the past? Outdated?’ Luke’s pride was hurt. Only a very few people knew that he was called the Demon King or the Black Sage Simon about 500 years ago. Reina didn’t know this, and Karen probably didn’t either. She was probably being stubborn and rebellious because she didn’t know, but he thought he shouldn’t neglect his child’s education any longer. “Not only are you worrying your mother, but you’re also looking down on your father… Our princess needs to be disciplined today.” “It’s Dad who needs to realize that if you try to do everything alone, the tower you’ve built with effort will collapse.” Whoooom! Powerful fighting spirit rose from Luke, who was smiling coldly, and Karen, who had a sulky expression. The Aether Globes in their hearts began to pulsate. When the two suddenly tried to start a duel, Hwangbo-sung was startled and tried to stop them. “Your Majesty, you can’t!” “Get out of the way. I need to fix that brat’s bad habits today.” “Don’t stop me, Uncle Hwangbo-sung!” Before the words were finished, both of them disappeared from Hwangbo-sung’s sight. They didn’t go far. The father and daughter, who had appeared in the sky, were facing each other sharply, each holding their weapons. “If you lose to me, you’re going straight to your mother.” “If Dad loses to me, you have to take me with you willingly.” That was the end of the conversation. The two exchanged blows like lightning. When Luke fired a volley of Dark Bullets, Karen nullified them all with Holy Bullets. Luke, who immediately closed the distance with Blink [a teleportation skill], unfolded his Gold Sword, and Karen easily blocked it by infusing her ribbon with Aura [a manifestation of inner energy]. Clang! Golden sparks flew the moment the two’s Auras collided. “Hmph, not bad.” “Did you think I was just playing around here?” From Karen’s ribbon, Aura rose like a long whip. The Aura pressed on Luke like a venomous snake rushing in. ‘Swordsmanship from the Southern Continent? No, this is the Gold Sword that has changed after going to the Southern Continent.’ The Golden Light Divine Sword of the Sword Saint Yeon Garam. And that too, the latter part. He didn’t know where or how she had learned it, but Karen had refined and changed it to suit her combat characteristics, just like Luke had done. ‘Impressive. Well, she is his daughter.’ Luke, who felt somewhat proud, quickly focused his mind and blocked Karen’s continuous attacks. Hwangbo-sung clicked his tongue as he watched the scene of the father and daughter fighting fiercely. “Goodness, how did it come to this…” “It’s probably because they’re alike.” Erewin, who had approached at some point, replied from the side. It seemed that they were alike not only in appearance but also in skill and personality. Unlike Hwangbo-sung, who shook his head and sighed repeatedly, she smiled faintly. Even though they were arguing loudly, she somehow felt that the two were very close.