The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 193

That day, Rael borrowed the Holy Sword from Lucas and headed to the Special Guard with Yuri.

The interior of the Special Guard still carried an unpleasant aura.

Inside the grounds, thick with the Demonic energy and mana of the Demon King, Rael wore a faint smile.

“It’s good to see that you guys haven’t lost your initial enthusiasm.”

Rael’s lips quirked up as he looked at the familiar faces.

He saw the Elf lying in a hammock and the Giant sitting in the vegetable garden.

“Rael, what does that mean? Is it a good thing?”

“Of course. Reina, how is Reine doing?”

Rael walked over to Reina, who was lying in the hammock and stroking Vermeil III.

According to the Elves, Reine remained awake even after Lucifer was sealed.

However, since she was resting in the Elven forest, Rael hadn’t had time to visit her directly.

“My sister is still awake. It seems like she still has the contract with Lucifer in her body… Right now, she’s clinging to the World Tree, receiving the power of nature. If she continues to heal naturally like this, there’s a chance her eyes will recover even after the contract’s influence disappears!”

“…That’s a relief.”

Rael was relieved that nothing had gone wrong while sealing Lucifer and that she was being well cared for.

Rael sighed in relief and looked toward the vegetable garden.

In the vegetable garden, Ghent, the Giant, was squatting, tilling the soil.

“Ghent, come to think of it, where’s your father?”

“My father has already returned to the Giant’s territory.”

*Thwack-* *Thwack-*

Ghent answered, digging up the soil with a trowel nearly a meter long.

“Really? I was wondering why I hadn’t seen him.”

“I made him return before the battle with Lucifer. I knew he would want to participate in such a battle.”

“Well, Giants are like that.”

Perhaps it was thanks to the restaurant data Rael had accumulated while working as the captain of the guard.

Fortunately, Ghent’s situation also seemed to be resolved.

“Yes. More importantly, what’s going on? If you want to chat, I can stop working for a moment and bring you some tea.”

“Then please do. There’s something I want to ask you.”

Rael sat on a nearby chair and accepted the teacup that Ghent brought.

Ghent and Reina also sat across from Rael, and Yuri, who had followed Rael, sat next to him.

“Now that I think about it… Thank you for listening to my request. Ahem, are you guys hurt anywhere?”

Rael also had a conscience.

He felt grateful and sorry to Reina and Ghent, who had taken part in the battle with Lucifer.

“You’re asking that really late. Don’t worry. The Saintess’s blessing is fair to all races.”

“I wasn’t seriously injured either. Actually, I was worried about those humans, Carlson and Lucas, but fortunately, they seem healthy.”

“You don’t have to worry about them. They were born strong.”

Rael nodded, bringing the teacup Ghent had brought to his lips.

Reina, who was watching him, spoke, sounding a little frustrated.

“So, what’s going on? Rael, why are you suddenly setting this mood?”

“Ghent, Reina, do you know about Divine Power?”

“Divine Power… I’ve seen it mentioned in documents passed down among the Giants.”

“I’ve also heard that it’s a power related to the World Tree.”

“Really? It’s a relief that you know something. What exactly *is* Divine Power?”

Rael hadn’t expected much when he asked, but surprisingly, he got positive answers.

“Divine Power is, in short, a divine power. There’s a legend that the one who becomes the chief of the Giants can wield the power of Divine Power to lead the Giants. In fact, the first chief of the Giants, who was respected by all Giants, wielded Divine Power.”

“It’s similar for the Elves. I’ve heard that it’s a power that outstanding leaders possess. But the Elven population has decreased, so we don’t hear about it much anymore.”

“Hmm, so you don’t know the details either.”

Rael clicked his tongue, sounding disappointed.

Even the other races didn’t know everything about Divine Power.

“Rael, why are you suddenly asking about Divine Power?”

“I’ve gained Divine Power.”

“…Rael, you have Divine Power?”

Ghent’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Divine Power was a legendary power wielded only by the first chief, who was respected by all Giants.

In the first place, its existence wasn’t even certain.

No matter how different Rael was from other humans, Ghent couldn’t help but be suspicious if he suddenly claimed to wield Divine Power.

“Don’t look at me like that; it’s not a lie.”

Divine Power bloomed on Rael’s hand.

Ghent’s eyes widened at the sight of the unidentified power.

It was a power that Ghent, who had lived for a long time, had never experienced before.

“Rael, is that power Divine Power? Why does Divine Power exist in you?”

“The Holy Sword says… Divine Power is created from those who believe in me. It feels like I’ve stolen the divine power that was supposed to go to the Main God Gaia.”

“People who believe in your existence—that’s certainly similar to the Giants’ legend.”

If the power of Divine Power came from faith, it wasn’t strange for Rael, who was writing legends as a hero of the Gaia Order, to gain Divine Power.

“So, what can you do with that Divine Power?”

“I’m going to try to purify the human malice dwelling within the Demon King with Divine Power.”

“…The Demon King? Do you really think it’s possible?”

Reina’s eyes widened.

She had monitored the Demon King several times, but it was hard to imagine purifying that immense malice.

“Rael, wouldn’t it be better to get help from the Gaia Order and the Saintess for the purification work?”

At that time, Yuri, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke.

Yuri, who didn’t know much about Divine Power, had been quietly observing the three’s conversation.

“It’s not a proper operation. If we make a big deal out of it, the demons will find out, so I’m just experimenting until a definite opportunity comes.”

The Demon King was a very dangerous existence.

They couldn’t let the demons find out, and they couldn’t leave her to run wild.

Rael wanted to find a definite method in the midst of all that.

“Isn’t the work of purifying malice dangerous? Tell me if you need help, Rael.”

“I have to experiment directly to see if it’s dangerous or not. Divine Power is an even stronger divine power, so it’s definitely effective for purification.”

With the war certain to happen faster than in the original story, stopping the Demon King’s rampage could no longer be postponed.

She was literally a ticking time bomb.

To protect the humans in District 4 and 5, they had to stop the Demon King.

‘And… for Tia and Cheonsal Sword Lord [likely a title, but without more context, it’s hard to adapt].’

Rael didn’t want those two to get caught up in the Demon King’s rampage.

* * *

*Thud.* *Thud.*

Rael descended the steps into the cold prison.

The closer he got to the Demon King’s prison, the more his spine tingled.

It was a sensation that he had felt several times, but he couldn’t get used to it.

‘What do you think about purifying the Demon King with Divine Power, Saint?’

[Well… Divine Power is definitely great, but I don’t think you can purify the Demon King, who is a collection of human malice, with this much Divine Power.]

‘Of course, I can’t do it right away. I’m just going to check the possibility.’

[Of course, there’s a possibility. You’re a human who can wield your own divine power. Do you know how amazing that is?]

Rael opened the prison door with Saint’s support.

A cold chill wrapped around his skin, and Demonic energy and mana dug into Rael’s body.

“Rael, you’ve come. It’s been a while.”

Inside the prison, the Demon King was there as always.

The girl with small horns on her head looked at Rael and her eyes sparkled.

“I had some work to do. I’m sorry.”

Rael tossed the chocolate he had brought through the bars of the prison.

*Rustle-* *Rustle-*

The Demon King naturally unwrapped the chocolate and put it in her mouth.

Her appearance of slowly melting the chocolate in her mouth and savoring the taste was no different from the children in the orphanage.

“…Hoecheon [likely a personal skill or ability].”

Rael watched her and deployed Hoecheon.

And slowly recognized the surrounding energy.

The Demon King’s Demonic energy and mana. It was a power that he was already familiar with.

He felt like he could use Divine Power now.

“Hold out your hand.”

“Hand? Do you want chocolate?”

Rael shook his head as he watched the Demon King tearing at the corner of the chocolate.

“No, I have something to try for a moment.”

“Don’t accept my power like last time.”

“Don’t worry.”

Rael carefully placed his hand on the Demon King’s thin hand that came out between the bars of the prison.

And immediately, he poured Divine Power into the Demon King.

*Crackle* *crackle* *crackle-*

At the same time, a tremendous backlash erupted.

The shock created by the forced meeting of powers that could not be combined struck Rael’s body.

*Kwaaaang-*!

Rael’s body was thrown into the air as if a bomb had exploded in front of him.

[Yo, Hero?! Are you okay?!]

“Keheuk, haa. Damn… That freaking hurts.”

Rael, who rolled on the floor several times and crashed into the wall, coughed and pushed himself up.

“Rael, what did you do? Are you okay?”

“…Yeah. Don’t worry.”

Rael frowned and looked down at his hand.

The Divine Power that had touched the Demon King’s power still existed in his body.

And, the sacred power had purified the Demon King’s malice, even a little.

Rael clearly felt that sensation at his fingertips.

‘There’s a possibility.’

Divine Power.

The power that Saint had praised several times was actually completely different from ordinary divine power.

The divinity that dwelled in Rael, not borrowed from Gaia.

It was much thicker and more intense than the divine power Rael had been using until now.

“That power is really amazing, Rael.”

The Demon King’s eyes sparkled as if she had seen something interesting for the first time in a long time.

It was the most interesting power after sweets in a long period of ennui [boredom].

“Did it hurt?”

“Not at all. I didn’t feel anything.”

“Then that’s good.”

Rael nodded.

If Divine Power increased further, it might not be a dream to purify the Demon King.

‘I need to increase Divine Power… What should I do?’

It seems like I need to pay attention to increasing Divine Power as well.

Divine Power was a stronger power than Rael thought.

[Rael! Let’s build a statue right away! Make the people of the Empire praise the hero of the Gaia Order!]

‘…Does that really work?’

He doubted that building a statue would create faith in Rael, but… it might be better than doing nothing.

Rael seriously began to think about his statue.

* * *

It had only been about 10 years since the heat of the Great War had subsided on the continent.

Humans, who are animals of adaptation, quickly adapted to peace and began to pursue their own greed, but the demons of Alheim were different.

They had lived fighting all their lives.

They felt pleasure by entrusting themselves to their instincts, tearing apart enemies, and swallowing their blood.

For such monsters, sudden peace was like hell.

However, the Demon King Maledraks had enough power to forcibly suppress them.

He locked up the demons and monsters who wanted war in one place.

That place was the Abyss.

A prison at the northern end of Alheim where the monsters of the Great War lived and breathed.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.’

Mistra quietly moved her steps.

Her silent steps stopped in front of the Abyss at the end of the forbidden Alheim.

What is the Abyss?

A place where you can’t see anything and can’t feel anything.

In this space where even the instinct as a demon is castrated, demons and monsters entrust themselves to the sea of time without feeling any sensation.

“It’s good news for the monsters who are only waiting for war.”

To think that the Great War would start again in just 10 years.

This was something that Mistra had not even imagined.

Mistra stared at the sea of the Abyss.

The accumulated Demonic energy formed a sea, and demons and monsters were floating in the sea of Demonic energy.

Hundreds and thousands of demons and monsters were sleeping in this sea of the Abyss.

“Mistra-nim [formal title, similar to ‘Lady Mistra’].”

At that time, a demon appeared in front of Mistra.

The demon, dressed in clothes like a human’s suit, bowed politely and greeted Mistra.

“It’s been a while, Kaiman. How’s the management here?”

“I’m very satisfied. Everyone here is.”

“That’s a stupid thing to say. You still can’t hide your bloodlust even after 10 years.”

“I’m sorry, Mistra-nim.”

Kaiman bowed his head.

He was the manager who managed this sea of Demonic energy.

He was one of Maledraks’s close aides in the Great War, and he had been guarding the Abyss since the end of the war.

“That’s okay. The fact that they haven’t lost their senses means that those guys are still useful. That’s even better.”

Mistra smiled as she looked at the demons floating in the sea of Demonic energy.

“Don’t just lower your eyes and stay still, prepare, Kaiman. You haven’t forgotten how to fight already, have you?”

“…Does that mean?”

“It’s war. I didn’t know I had to prepare this quickly either.”

The Demon King’s power is shaking.

Perhaps the Empire, which has noticed Alheim’s movements, is taking some measures.

That was also the reason why Mistra contacted the Abyss.

“I’ve received Maledraks’s permission. I’m going to open the Abyss.”

Kaiman’s eyes trembled at Mistra’s words.

The war they had been waiting for was starting again.

Mistra smiled brightly.

Before the Emperor’s coronation ceremony, the nostalgic smell of blood would cover the continent.