Chapter 182

***

***

At the same time, Prince Jun tried to bite off Lesche’s arm like a demon. Lesche turned his body to avoid the bite and grabbed Jun’s chest. Then a rough fist pierced Jun’s face. With a popping sound, red blood exploded and splattered onto the constellation armor.

“Arhhh…!”

“Your Highness!”

The knight hurriedly ran over with a cloth. Lesche, who had crumpled the cloth and shoved it steeply into Jun’s mouth, spoke in a chilling voice.

“Tie him up. Drag him down.”

“Yes, Sir!”

Having to climb back up again to ensure that Prince Jun was handed over to the Great Temple, Lesche descended the mountain range and headed directly for the outpost.

It was a vast outpost. Numerous knights and nobles had already joined up in various places, but none of them were of higher status than Lesche Berg.

Staff members dispatched from the Great Temple were busy running around, and the metallic clang caused by the clashing of swords and constellation armor made people’s ears weep.

As soon as Jun entered the base, the holy knights pressed him and took him away.

“Your Highness!”

The knights of Berg quickly began to deliver the news that they had received from the staff.

“The holy relics to be repaired have just arrived from the Great Temple! They entered the leftmost mountain range first, while killing the demons….”

Lesche, who was listening to the report without stopping his walk, suddenly saw something and stopped.

“Wait a minute.”

Lesche, who had aborted the report that was continuing with a raised hand, stepped forward.

“Sir Abigail.”

Abigail, who had been trudging along in search of her sword, turned around. She saw Lesche and bowed lightly and silently.

Lesche asked, slightly distorting his forehead.

“Is that the insignia on your back?”

“That’s right.”

It was Seria’s cherished Stern insignia, so there was no way Lesche couldn’t recognize it. But why was her knight carrying it now? 

He didn’t quite understand, but Lesche didn’t ask her any more questions.

“Put it down.”

Abigail obediently took down the insignia.

Lesche took off his cloak and spread it on the floor. An ordinary knight would not have known what to do at the sight of Grand Duke of Berg on one knee wrapping the insignia, but not Abigail. She was interested in making sure it was properly protected.

Lesche unwrapped the cloth that was wrapping the insignia. At that moment.

“……?”

His eyebrows rose quickly.

The protective magic that had been doubled and tripled on the insignia disappeared as soon as Lesche’s hand touched it. No, to be precise, the magic was still there. But even the magic parted, and the surface of the insignia came to life as if it were imprinting itself in Lesche’s eyes.

“……..”

A moment passed.

Lesche moved his hands, which had been hanging still, to wrap the insignia before handing it to Abigail. It was just as Abigail wrapped the insignia around her back again.

The entrance became terribly noisy.

It was the return of the most important person of all in the battle to defeat the demons.

Stern.

The green-haired one who stood from afar among the swarming crowd.

Seria didn’t see this side because she was listening to the reports being hurriedly reported by the High Temple’s chiefs of staff.

What was strange was Lesche. Normally, he would have immediately gone to Seria, but not this time. He kept folding his arms and staring at her.

Just before Abigail tilted her head.

Lesche moved his steps.

“Seria.”

Seria, who had been straining her eyes and pushing the complicated line of motion into her head, raised her head.

“Lesche!”

A smile spread on her face. Seria walked half running to him, holding a map with every note inscribed tightly in her hand.

The Stern’s formal attire shone like a dream.

It was a star adored by the knights in their constellation gold armor.

Even now there were many gazes glancing at Seria. Different soft eyes than the ones she received at the banquet.

Once again Lesche realized the fact that Stern was his wife.

“Are you leaving already?”

Seria nodded.

“I came back because I heard the holy relics had come in.”

Lesche, smiling faintly, took Seria’s hand in his and placed it directly on his left chest. Seria’s warmth spread over the cold constellation armor.

In this state, Lesche opened his mouth.

“What is the writing on the insignia?” 

For a moment, Seria’s bright blue eyes shook. They seemed to ripple like waves.

“It seems that your guardian wants to take my heart.”

“…….”

Seria’s hand, which was stretched out on Lesche’s chest, curled up.

“Tuban is talking nonsense.”

“Seria.”

“Lesche.”

Seria said in an unprecedentedly decisive voice.

“When this defeat is over, I will smash the insignia.”

Unlike her cold words, Seria’s hands were shaking slightly as Lesche caught her. She didn’t seem to realize it, but he could.

“So don’t worry about it.”

Lesche looked down at Seria’s hands, moving only his eyes. After some time, his gaze came up again.

“Are you just going to hit it and break it?”

“Yes, or put it in the temple’s sanctuary, or…..”

“Seria.”

He stared at her in the eye.

“I don’t intend to die without you.”

“…I didn’t even think about it.”

“That’s all right, so just breathe.”

Seria’s shoulders, which had become rigid, slowly relaxed. Lesche lifted Seria’s hand and kissed the back of her hand.

Unlike usual, his lips were warm against the cold hand. Seria laughed a little.

“By the way, what happened to your cloak?”

“Your insignia looked shabby, so I used it as a wrapping paper.”

“Wrapping paper?”

Seria burst out laughing. Just then Linon snooped around with a new cloak. The sharp Linon quickly handed over the cloak and retreated as soon as Seria’s expression relaxed a little.

Seria took the cloak without a second thought and scoffed.

“Stern will take care of your clothes…. Think of it as the honor of the family. And your body….”

Lesche, who understood the gesture, stooped gently. Seria draped the cloak over his shoulders. Lesche stared at her face as she moved. She frowned her forehead and secured the cloak firmly in place.

It was kind of funny.

“Lesche? Why are you laughing?”

“Just.”

Lesche passed a messy lock of hair across her forehead.

“I love you.”

Seria moved her eyes softly.

“Your Highness!”

At about the same time that Alliot ran over, the priests also came to see Seria.

“Stern, we must go out.”

Seria nodded and moved her steps. Just before she left the entrance, she glanced back. She saw Lesche as he was listening to Alliot. His red eyes raised up as if he had sensed Seria’s gaze. Lesche’s chin tilted slightly as his eyes met Seria’s.

It was a thin smile on his lips.

‘Isn’t that man afraid of this situation?’

An unavoidable smile was painted on Seria’s face.

The snow was falling more and more.

There were five borders that Prince Jun destroyed. The demons had been coming incessantly. They had to defeat the demons who were invading the Berg territory while protecting the priests who were repairing the holy relics.

Seria continued to move according to the line of movement she had locked in her head. This was an unprecedented and widespread battle to defeat the demons. Stern could not make even the slightest mistake in the line of movement.

‘Thank goodness it was after the mass distribution of the magic crystal rings.’

Thanks to the knights gathered from all over the empire in no time, they were able to defeat the demons more calmly than expected.

‘It was also fortunate that we caught Jun so quickly. Is Liegel still attached to Jun?’

That was the moment when Seria thought so. From far away, High Priest Henoch was running on his horse with a pale face.

Intuitively, she felt ominous. At the same time, Abigail, who was guarding Seria’s side, raised her head. Abigail opened her mouth as she looked carefully at the mountain range on the other side.

“Young Lady.”

Fluttering snowflakes.

“I’ll tie the Stern insignia around my horse’s neck.”

That was when Seria looked back at Abigail.

Boom!

It sounded like a mountain range was collapsing. The sound of High Priest Henoch shouting came a beat late.

“Stern! Stern! You must avoid it!”

At the same time, the incredible first-class special report of the frozen lake collapsing hit her hard in the ear.

***

An emergency evacuation order was issued for the entire Berg territory.

Upon hearing the news, the Great Temple was paralyzed for the first time in hundreds of years.

Seria folded her arms and stared out at the misty lake.

“What about Cassius?”

“I just received word that he arrived at the base.”

“Guide me.”

Cassius was sitting up straight, his hands and feet bound. His body was still stained with magi, but his posture was that of his former noble successor.

‘You sat in a very low position…’

Seria approached the holy knight and gestured with her chin. As soon as the holy knight hurriedly opened the prison door, Seria slapped Cassius in the face.

Slap!

Her hand wouldn’t have even hurt, but Cassius’s jaw tightened.

“You, now…!”

“You must be hurting your pride.”

Stern’s insignia came in behind her as she laughed coldly. Seria asked for one from the temple. She put the insignia on Cassius’s thigh and pressed it hard with her hands.

A burst of divine power.

“Arghhh!”

Cassius bent his back for the first time. A powerful divine power that made Seria’s dress flutter. Cassius even vomited blood.

Magi was instantly purified, but that was all. The eyes of Cassius glaring at Seria were still in equilibrium.

But her business was done. As Cassius coughed up blood, the holy knight behind him, quietly approaching the insignia, gave a small nod.

Seria looked again at Cassius.

“Yes, I am counting how many have died because of a not so honorable desire, Cassius. You can count on me not to kill you beautifully when I return.”

As Seria kicked Cassius out, she happened to run into a group of Kellyden’s knights moving urgently. They avoided her gaze, unable to say anything.

Seria was never active in the west. So this was the first time she had met the knights of Kellyden as Stern.

She turned her head without saying anything. As she did so, she saw a familiar face. It was Nissos. He spotted Seria and quickly approached and opened both eyes wide.

“You…. Why is your face so pale? Are you all right?”

“Do I look okay? Yes, it’s because of your big brother that I’m like this.”

“..because of brother?”

“Yes. Thanks to him, we are all going to die, how do you feel?”

Seria expected Nissos to look unpleasant at the blatantly sarcastic words, but he looked rather shocked. Then he swept his dry cheeks with both hands.

“I’m…sorry.”

“What is it? Why are you apologizing for him?”

“Just.”

Nissos’s voice trembled.

“It’s just all…”

“You must be aware that we are in a continental apocalypse. I pray that all the Kellydens are not taken to the capital.”

“…….”

“I also pray that they don’t die before that happens.”

Seria said meanly, and climbed on the beloved horse Abigail had brought with her. Nissos, who had stood frozen, yelled loudly behind her.

“…you be careful too! Don’t get hurt!”

Seria felt goosebumps on her body.

‘Has he gone crazy before he dies?’

People would think they were close to each other. Seria gripped the reins without looking back.

***

*The last few months has been really hard emotionally and physically for me, but the good news is that I’m completely recovered and I can go back to translating regularly now.