He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 98

“Anyway, how do you know my name?”

“That’s… because it was our tribe’s battle cry.”

It wasn’t entirely true, but Igritt seemed to be making something up.

“Is that so? Well, even I, who was once a tribesman, don’t know much about other tribes.”

Calival seemed a bit doubtful at those words, but he didn’t seem to care much.

“So, now that my introduction is over, can you tell me your names?”

“I’m Shadow, and this is Igritt. As you can see… we’re traveling together.”

I couldn’t tell him that we were caught in a strange magical maze and traveling through time, so I chose my words carefully.

“Traveling? Then you didn’t come to Isborg because of the warrior recruitment order?”

“Ah, actually, we’re looking for someone. We heard they were last in Isborg.”

“Is that so? Who are you looking for?”

“That’s a personal matter, so it’s difficult to say.”

“Ah, I see. Was I being too nosy? My apologies.”

I couldn’t exactly say that I came from the distant past and was looking for the Wizard Lord, so I just glossed over it.

“Anyway, judging from your fight just now, you’re no ordinary fighters. So, I was wondering, could you give Isborg some more help?”

Rather than focusing on our purpose for visiting, Calival paid more attention to our combat power and made a request that sounded almost like a plea.

“I can tell things aren’t normal, but do you really need the help of outsiders like us when you’re around?”

“It’s hard to explain here. Would you help if I told you?”

“I’ll listen to the story first.”

“Then let’s change locations. Follow me.”

He said that, pointing to a huge palace that stood out in the city.

“I invite you to the Ice Palace.”

* * *

The palace was covered entirely in ice, and the crystal-coated palace seemed like the height of extravagance at first glance.

There was no way they could make artificial crystals with medieval-level technology, and natural crystals weren’t common enough to plaster all over the place like that.

“That? Of course, it’s made with magic. To be precise, it’s a byproduct of the Frostfire Furnace. Anyway, crystals are common in Isborg.”

So that’s why they were relatively common even among the common people? But aside from that, the interior of the Frost Palace was quite luxurious in its own way.

Compared to my home, the Imperial Palace, the style was different, and the atmosphere was cooler than bright, but it had its own unique charm.

At least this palace, or city, didn’t seem impoverished.

“I didn’t know you were high enough in rank to call outsiders like us to the palace.”

“Ah, I don’t have a particularly high position. I just… receive a little favor from the Queen.”

Was he some kind of behind-the-scenes power? Of course, that couldn’t be. Even in a medieval society mixed with feudalism, there couldn’t be that many behind-the-scenes powers in a monarchy.

Probably, as he said, he was just a knight who received some favor. It wasn’t strange for a king to favor a strong knight who was the foundation of military power.

“Anyway, the story got a bit sidetracked. As I said before, Isborg is facing a crisis. The Frostfire Furnace was taken by demons from the hell dimension.”

“I’ve heard about that. Can’t you just find it again? Send troops and warriors.”

There seemed to be many warriors recruited besides us, so I wondered if there was a need to specifically choose me and Igritt.

“Normally, we would. Hell’s demons have invaded more than once. But this time, there’s been a series of misfortunes.”

Calival, who had a laid-back personality, rarely looked so grim.

“There’s a traitor inside. A powerful wizard, possessed by a demon, has taken control of the entire palace basement, including the furnace.”

Calival sighed and continued.

“As you said, we deployed troops, but the troops alone couldn’t solve this problem. We needed a strong warrior who could reach the deepest part where the furnace is located.”

“So that’s why you issued the warrior recruitment order.”

Calival nodded as if my words were correct.

Just listening to it, it sounded like a typical saga of recruiting heroes.

“You two seem as strong as I am, so I had no choice but to ask for your help. Please help defeat the Wizard Lord.”

“…Wait, did you just say Wizard Lord?”

“Hmm? Ah, yes. That wizard guy. He called himself the Wizard Lord.”

Hearing those words from Calival, I and Igritt exchanged glances.

We had grasped the location of the Wizard Lord through an unexpected route.

Come to think of it, the direction indicator of the magic tracking tool was pointing to this Ice Palace.

I didn’t know why he was possessed by a demon, but if he was in the basement of the palace, it was natural that it would point here.

“…In that case, we have no choice but to lend a hand. We can’t refuse a desperate request, can we?”

“Oh, you’re such a good person. I will definitely repay this debt. Now, let’s go see Her Majesty the Queen.”

Of course, I didn’t say that out of pure intention to help someone in need.

‘Actually, that Wizard Lord guy is someone I know, and it seems like he destroyed the city, but I don’t care, so is it okay?’ I couldn’t say something like that, so I was just talking nonsense.

But Calival, who had no way of knowing that, was delighted that I and Igritt readily agreed to help and prepared to have us meet the Queen.

Whether it was true that he was favored or not, no one in the court stopped us.

Thus, we got the opportunity to meet the Queen of the Ice Kingdom.

“I’m glad to meet you. You are the warriors recognized by Sir Calival, correct?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Queen I met was far from the image of a mature woman that the word Queen naturally evokes.

In short, she was a young, even childish-looking girl with snow-white silver hair who seemed frail and delicate.

“Excuse me… but you both don’t seem very old.”

I couldn’t wear a helmet in front of the Queen, so I was showing my face now.

Since there was no one here who would recognize me, there was no problem showing my face.

“Although they are young, they showed great skill in the demon attack earlier. I trust them to go down with us, eliminate the demons, and retrieve the furnace.”

“If Sir Calival says so, then it must be so. I trust only you.”

The Queen looked at Calival with eyes full of trust—no, with a feeling beyond trust.

But after saying that, I could see that she was slightly out of breath. She seemed to be frail as she appeared.

At that time, a slightly plump middle-aged man standing next to the throne stepped forward.

“Your Majesty needs to rest, so Sir Calival, please step back.”

“I will, Duke Vestaltine.”

As the middle-aged man said, Calival immediately ended the audience with us.

“It was true that you were favored by the Queen.”

“Of course, why would I lie?”

“Yeah, well… is it just simple favor?”

“…? Should there be something else?”

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

The way the Queen looked at Calival didn’t seem like she was simply favoring him as a subordinate, but Calival didn’t seem to be aware of it.

“By the way, who was the person next to the Queen?”

“Ah, that’s Duke Vestaltine, the Queen’s uncle. He assists Her Majesty… or so he says.”

Unlike when he spoke about the Queen, when he spoke about Vestaltine, he seemed to be forcibly hiding his aversion.

Noticing that, I decided to ask more.

“Do you perhaps dislike him?”

“Oh, is it that obvious?”

“You don’t seem to be good at lying. What’s he doing?”

“…Haa, it’s a long story, and I shouldn’t be telling court affairs to outsiders. But if I had to say one thing… he’s not to be trusted.”

Calival, who briefly showed agony while saying that, soon shook off that look and said.

“Well, that’s our situation, so you don’t have to worry too much about it. More importantly, please prepare quickly. We don’t have much time if we want to save the city.”

* * *

Isborg was a city, but also a giant greenhouse.

It was as if the city was covered with giant crystals made of magic.

But of course, a greenhouse doesn’t just get warm from sunlight. Internal heat generation is also necessary.

And the Frostfire Furnace was a powerful source of magical power that served that role.

“Establish a defensive line! Demons are pouring out from the underground!”

The Frostshield Guards of Isborg were mixed with warriors recruited from the outside to create a defensive line.

Their role was to seal off the palace basement, which had been taken over by demons and turned into a giant maze.

-Krrr….

“Oh, they’re coming! Demons are charging!”

“Don’t back down, hold on!”

The Hellhounds, giant beast-type demons resembling wolves and dogs burning with hellfire, charged with demons riding on them.

With their heavy bodies, they became excellent shock cavalry and charged at the pikemen.

The front-line guards couldn’t survive the impact. Of course, with their rigid discipline, they held on without collapsing.

“Demons are breaking in!”

“Deploy the warriors!”

“You guys, it’s time to earn your money!”

The hired outside warriors began to engage in a melee with the invading demons, wielding their respective weapons.

-Krrr! Keoong!

But they alone were not enough.

The ground forces were limited compared to the demons that were constantly pouring out, creating rifts using the magic power of the Frostfire Furnace in the underground.

“Kuaaaak! Save me!”

Swoosh, Swaak!

I cut off the thick neck of a Hellhound that was about to swallow a mercenary warrior whole.

Thanks to the Aura infused with divine power, I could easily cut through the overwhelmingly large neck.

“Huh? I, I’m alive. Th, thank you.”

“Then get up and fight again.”

“O, of course.”

I watched the warrior I saved return to the fight, and I also glanced at Igritt and Calival.

Kooong, Kwaaang!

“We can’t break through by fighting one by one! Don’t spare your strength, fight!”

“I understand! Freeze!”

Calival leaped and swung his greatsword with tremendous force, causing an earthquake that split the ground.

It was destroying the palace, but he didn’t seem to care.

And Igritt obeyed Calival’s commands very obediently, even though he spoke in a commanding tone.

It was unlike the proud northerners, but it seemed to be because they thought of him as someone they worshiped.

“They don’t need to worry. Then shall I use some strength too?”

“[Imperial Soul Release]”

“[Initiating the casting of Wide-Area Judgment Strike.]”

Pachichichichichi-

I, who was thinking of cleaning up the demons in one fell swoop with a large wide-area attack, slightly drew out the Imperial Soul.

Holding the Holy Sword filled with divine power, I was ready to strike it down and deliver death to the enemies.

“[The magic power of the Frostfire is resonating with the Imperial Soul.]”

“[The power of divine power and magic power is temporarily enhanced.]”

“[You have obtained a clue to the 2nd stage of Imperial Soul Release.]”

“What?”

It was a status window that displayed unfamiliar messages just before I swung the sword.

But I had already reflexively struck down the sword.

Kwagagagagaga-

Then, divine power burst out from the sword as if a dam had burst, and the demons that had been rushing up to my eyes were swept away at once.

“A, amazing…!”

“What was that just now?”

In the face of power far beyond what was expected, only silence lingered there, except for a few exclamations.