My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 309

309. The Eve of the Storm (2)

An undisclosed location within the Dark Forest.

A dense forest completely obscured any view beyond the immediate trees.

Trees, reaching haphazardly for the sky, blocked out nearly all sunlight.

Even at midday, the heavy canopy created an atmosphere akin to early evening.

Low-lying trees and unfamiliar plants grew in abundance.

There was no empty space visible within the thicket.

“Prepare the ranks!”

“Form the lines!”

A great shout erupted from within the dense forest.

Almost immediately, a line of knights materialized in the foreground.

The Knights of Purity, clad in pristine white armor.

None other than the Holy Knights, sworn protectors of the Papal States.

The Holy Knights were considered equals to the Royal Knights of the Charlotte Empire.

Their skill was beyond question.

As Holy Knights, they wielded divine power, making the measurement of Aura [a manifestation of inner energy] somewhat irrelevant.

However, to draw a comparison, they were all at the Expert level, much like the Royal Knights.

“Screech!!”

A horde of Orcs surged into view before the Holy Knights.

Orcs dwelling deep within the Dark Forest, magical beasts undergoing Overdrive [a state of heightened aggression and power].

Screech!

Screech!

There were thousands of them.

The snorts and guttural cries of the Orcs swept across the ground, stirring up small dust clouds.

The Orcs’ eyes glowed with a crimson light in the forest’s gloom.

Even ordinary Orcs were a formidable threat.

“Shields forward!”

Undaunted, the Holy Knights stood their ground.

At a signal from one of their leaders, the shield-bearing Holy Knights advanced in unison.

With disciplined footsteps, the Holy Knights straightened their ranks.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, divine light erupted, enveloping the shields.

They began to interlock the light-infused shields.

The light intensified, and a giant shield of pure light materialized.

“Screech!”

“Screech!”

The Orcs, sensing an unfamiliar power, hesitated.

But they felt no fear.

Their eyes, burning with madness, reflected only brutality.

Thousands of Orcs charged, their advance causing the earth to tremble.

The vibration reached the divine shield.

Thud!

Thud!

The Orcs slammed against the shield and were thrown back.

Those behind them continued to surge forward, but none could break through.

“Fix bayonets!”

The Holy Knights raised their swords.

The divine light from their swords surged through the shields.

Smash!

Sizzle!

An indiscriminate massacre began.

The Orcs’ enhanced state of frenzy offered no protection.

Thousands of Orcs were quickly cut down.

Patrick observed the carnage in silence.

The brutal slaughter of the Orcs was a grim sight.

Even though they were magical beasts, they were still creatures of flesh and blood.

Necessity did not excuse cruelty.

Crack!

The Holy Knights showed no mercy.

They crushed flesh, gouged out eyes, and tore through skulls.

Such brutality would naturally cause revulsion.

Patrick remained impassive.

He watched the slaughter of the thousands of Orcs with detached indifference.

How long had passed?

“Captain.”

A soft voice broke the silence behind Patrick.

He turned to see a Holy Knight bowing his head.

“We will soon arrive in Ruben’s territory.”

Patrick’s gaze sharpened at the mention of Ruben.

“What is the situation in Ruben?”

“I detect no significant presence. It appears they have moved their forces toward Elan Dur.”

Patrick chuckled softly.

A sword pressed against his throat.

It was almost comical that he had been so oblivious.

“To think they call themselves holy. Truly foolish.”

Patrick scoffed and slowly surveyed his surroundings.
The 20,000 Holy Knights under his command.

Elite knights, protectors of the Papal States.

These Holy Knights, now slaughtering Orcs, were no ordinary soldiers.

They were members of the Inquisition, tasked with punishing heresy.

They judged and eliminated those who opposed God’s will.

The Papal States’ most devoted force, prioritizing God’s will above all else.

They were the embodiment of divine retribution against heretics.

Patrick was their leader, the Inquisitor General.

His faith in God was absolute.

He would sacrifice anything for his God.

His divine power was immense.

He knew Ruben’s strength.

He knew it was a territory capable of withstanding Elan Dur’s 300,000 troops.

But not now.

Ruben was currently undefended.

Most of its troops were away, engaged in rebellion against Elan Dur.

It was practically defenseless.

Occupying Ruben would be trivial.

“Everything is according to God’s will.”

“Everything is according to God’s will.”

At Patrick’s words, the Holy Knight made the sign of the cross and stepped back.

The knights reformed their ranks and marched onward.

Soon, they reached Ruben’s territory.

Patrick saw the landscape with his own eyes.

“Indeed…”

He had to acknowledge it.

The barrier surrounding Ruben.

The numerous defensive structures.

A natural fortress, an iron wall.

Could it truly be breached?

Ruben’s defenses were formidable, making any assault seem impossible.

It was clear why Elan Dur’s 300,000 troops had failed to break through.

The current force of 20,000 troops could not make a dent.

But that was only if Ruben was fully defended.

A barrier was only an iron wall when guarded by soldiers.

An empty barrier was just an abandoned building.

“This is the base of heretical heathens. Prepare for holy war!”

At Patrick’s command, the Holy Knights drew their weapons.

The divine light emanating from the 20,000 Holy Knights momentarily banished the darkness of the Dark Forest.

Patrick stood at the head of his army.

He drew his sword and gazed at Ruben.

Then, suddenly…

“…A woman?”

He saw a woman standing on Ruben’s barrier.

She was alone.

She stood defiantly on the wall.

Her face was obscured by the distance.

He could only make out her blonde hair, like sunlight.

“You have trespassed into Ruben’s territory without permission!”

The woman’s voice carried clearly.

“If you do not turn back now, I will hold you accountable!”

Her voice was filled with courage.

She must have known that the 20,000 Holy Knights intended to attack Ruben.

And that Ruben was defenseless.

Fear would have been a natural reaction.

But she showed no fear.

Could she have something to rely on?

Patrick narrowed his eyes.

He focused his energy, attempting to sense anything beyond the barrier.

But… he felt nothing.

It was as if something was blocking him.

Something was interfering with his senses.

He didn’t know what it was, but the barrier was not simple.

Patrick gathered his energy and quietly asked the Holy Knight beside him.

“Are there any troops hiding inside Ruben?”

“There may be some guards… but no army units.”

“Are you certain?”

“I witnessed Ruben’s troops leaving with my own eyes.”

Patrick hesitated.

There was a possibility.

“Is there any chance they have returned?”

“I have scouts deployed. I would have received a report if they had returned.”

The Holy Knight spoke with conviction.

Patrick asked no further questions.

Whose will was this, and whose plan?

There could be no flaws in this plan.

It was all a bluff.

Patrick smiled slightly.

He tightened his grip on his sword.

Whoa!

Patrick swung his sword, cleaving the air.

The pure white divine energy surged forward.

The energy collided with Ruben’s barrier.

Whoa!

With a deafening explosion, the barrier shook violently.

But it held.

It didn’t even scratch, let alone collapse.

The woman on the barrier was not so fortunate.

“Ugh… !”

The woman staggered, groaning in pain.

Had she taken the full force of the impact?

Through the dust, she looked haggard.

Patrick felt a strange sense of unease.

Despite everything, she showed no fear or panic.

She should have begged for her life.

If her bluff had been called, she should have knelt and pleaded.

But she didn’t.

What was it…? He wondered.

“I am Elena, the princess of the Empire!”

The woman’s voice rang out.

Patrick realized his mistake.

He had threatened a princess.

He had committed treason.

He didn’t know why the princess was there.

But he had given the Empire a reason to attack the Holy Empire.

A grave error.

But it didn’t matter.

He just had to finish everything before the Empire could intervene.

Ruben was defenseless.

Elena had no protection.

He just had to conquer Ruben.

Everything would still be according to God’s plan.

Patrick was certain.

“Branch Manager, would you do me a favor?”

Elena’s voice.

It was quiet.

But Patrick heard it.

Or rather… he didn’t hear her voice.

He felt a surge of power with her words.

-Look at the descendants exploiting their ancestors. Is that how you teach them in the imperial family these days?

He felt a terrible presence.

“… !”

Patrick was shocked.

All 20,000 Holy Knights widened their eyes.

A thick, dark magic power spread outwards.

Jet-black fog consumed the space.

Darkness soaked the earth, turning everything black.

Patrick knew instinctively.

He, a Holy Knight wielding high-level divine power as the Inquisitor General…

Could not withstand it.

The ominous feeling was overwhelming.

This was…

Beyond his ability to handle.

“I wouldn’t dare to exploit Branch Manager. I’m asking for it for Count Ciel and Ruben.”

-If you can’t even say it properly. This is what descendants are like. Who did you take after?

“Wouldn’t it be Branch Manager, of course?”

-…… Tsk.

Another being appeared on the barrier.

Something not human.

Long silver hair.

Grayish-white eyes, devoid of focus.

Reah, the vengeful spirit of a thousand years.

Reah’s eyes scanned Patrick and the Holy Knights.

-Should I take care of all those things?

“Yes. But if it’s too hard, you can just stall for time. After all, the goal is the main force of the Holy Empire.”

-What do you mean by stalling for time? Those small fries will be gone in no time. That’s why you left me here instead of Kendrick, right?

“That’s true, but…”

-That’s enough, you just watch this sister’s performance from behind.

Reah stepped forward to the barrier.

Floating in the air, her silver hair fluttered.

-Because you are traitors.

And then, a voice.

Kiyaaaaaaak!

A ghostly cry erupted.

Black thoughts ran wild.

Murderous intent, malice, despair, and anger.

All negative emotions boiled together.

The sky turned black.

A fatal instinct warned him.

He couldn’t withstand it with his human spirit.

Patrick raised his divine power to protect his mind.

But the brutal thoughts of a thousand years…

“Kuh, cough… !”

Patrick succumbed.

“Cough!”

The Holy Knights knelt, one by one.

#

The Dark Forest leading to Ruben.

Endless troops marched.

Holy warriors of the Holy Empire, clad in white armor.

The great army marched through the Dark Forest.

No magical beasts were seen.

They sensed the fear.

Their instinct for survival remained.

No magical beasts would attack the mighty army of the Holy Empire.

The troops marched towards Ruben.

And the commander-in-chief.

“When will we arrive at the base of the heretics?”

The Pope, Saint Anaristo.

“At this speed, about 5 days.”

“5 days…”

The Pope sighed.

The march was slower than expected.

The detour to deceive the public was the main reason.

The Dark Forest was vast.

It extended to all countries on the continent.

The Holy Empire also had a Dark Forest.

Ruben was located in the Dark Forest.

The main force of the Holy Empire was detouring to avoid the Charlotte Empire’s border.

“The march is slower than I thought.”

“How about speeding up the march?”

“We are already at the limit. Any faster, and the soldiers will not be able to endure it.”

“Stamina is a problem in realizing God’s will.”

The Pope frowned.

“We can’t let the heretics know God’s will. Shouldn’t we strike before that happens?”

“That’s true, but… don’t worry, Your Holiness. We sent the Holy Knights of the Inquisition in advance. The Inquisitor General will handle it.”

“Hmm…”

The Pope nodded.

The Inquisitors were the most devout Holy Knights.

Patrick’s faith was unparalleled.

Ruben was defenseless.

Patrick would succeed.

“Leave it to the Inquisitor General.”

The Pope nodded.

Then…

“Yo, Your Holiness!!”

A desperate shout.

A soldier ran towards them.

The Holy Knights moved to intercept him.

But…

“The, the Inquisitor General… was defeated by the heretical heathens!!”

Everyone stopped.

“Wh, what?”

The Pope widened his eyes.

His mind reeled.

But only for a moment.

“Could it be…”

The Pope assessed the situation.

The soldier wouldn’t lie.

The report was true.

But it was impossible.

The Inquisitor General should not have been defeated.

He should have captured Ruben.

Ruben was undefended.

He had been distracted by Elan Dur.

The news was the opposite.

That meant…

“God’s will… has been seen through!”

That was the only explanation.

Otherwise, this couldn’t have happened.

Ruben knew everything and prepared.

This was a trap.

“We have to… retreat.”

If Ruben was prepared… they couldn’t win.

Hundreds of thousands of warriors?

Meaningless against Ruben’s power.

Even Elan Dur’s 300,000 troops had failed.

The Holy Empire was stronger than Elan Dur.

One family versus an empire.

The difference was vast.

But the Holy Empire had rushed.

They hadn’t prepared properly.

They had to retreat.

They had to prepare more thoroughly.

It would be troublesome, but better than this.

The Inquisitor General had sacrificed himself…

A cheap price.

If they made a mistake, they would all be swallowed.

They had to retreat.

Inform God and prepare again.

If necessary, stall for time.

…

Swish!

A chilling sound.

A clean cutting sound.

And it wasn’t just one.

Swish! Swish!

The sound echoed.

Without stopping.

The Pope turned.

Soldiers collapsing without screaming.

Dark knights spreading black magic.

“Wh, what is this…”

The Pope’s mind went blank.

And then…

“Ru, Ruben’s soldiers!!!”

A shout of shock.

“Wh, what?”

“Why are Ruben’s soldiers here…!”

Shock spread.

“Wo, words… words…”

The Pope was speechless.

From the beginning… it was all a set plate.

No, the set plate was overturned.

Ruben hadn’t moved his troops towards Elan Dur.

Ruben had aimed for the main force of the Holy Empire.

Ruben knew everything.

He had only pretended not to know.

And now.

-The Lord has ordered.

Death Knight, Kendrick, clad in dark magic armor.

And one mission from a thousand years ago.

-Massacre the people of the Papal States.

The Pope faced Kendrick’s blue eyes.

He looked at the Black Lion Knights of Ruben behind him.

“Understood.”

“Understood.”

The Black Lion Knights’ disciplined voices.

The magic of the Black Lion Knights blazed.

That light was directed at the Pope.

That power that even Elan Dur’s 300,000 troops couldn’t withstand.

He faced that power.

“…Oh God.”

The Pope couldn’t fight.

#

The Holy Empire, Lutea.

Isabelle didn’t know how to react to the reports.

“The, the Holy Knights of the Inquisition have all been defeated… !”

How could she accept this?

“Yo, Your Holiness… Your Holiness has been captured by Ruben as a prisoner… !!!”

A series of unbelievable reports.

“… !”

Isabelle was shocked.