CH 161

“Guuuuuuuuuu…!”

Raidorl lay on the floor and endured the earthquake, which vibrates violently up and down.

The defensive magic had already been activated by Neimilia. Black snakes were running across the floor, walls and pillars, protecting the palace from the shock of the earthquake.

The quake lasted a good ten minutes before the vibrations finally stopped.

“Kh….it has quieted down……!”

“M-master, are you alright?!”

“I’m alright…More importantly!”

Raidorl rushes to the window of his office and throws it wide open.

He looks down and sees the damage caused by the earthquake.

The damage is not so serious because the palace is protected by the magic of Neimilia. Some of the walls have collapsed, but the damage is so minor that it can be repaired immediately.

It was the city of the Royal Capital that suffered the most damage.

Several buildings had collapsed after a long enough earthquake to create a misty dust cloud that covered the entire city.

It looked like the end of the world, and the whole city seemed to be dying.

“This is…… What turmoil…”

“Master! Above, up! Look at that!”

“Aah!?”

Neimilia, who has also rushed to the window, points upwards, pulling on Raidorl’s sleeve.

Raidorl followed her finger and looked up to see the full moon shining brightly down on the earth.

There’s nothing unusual about it at first glance, but soon enough Raidorl noticed something unusual.

“The moon…is turning red?”

The moon was golden and full, but it was slowly turning red, as if it was bleeding from within.

Eventually the moon turns a perfect crimson. The night sky was dominated by a vivid crimson colour that made the viewer feel uneasy.

The anomaly was not yet over.

From the full moon, which was dyed a deep red, a drop arose as if a huge eyeball were dropping a teardrop.

The drops, which were as red as tears of blood, dripped slowly down towards the earth.

Raidorl wondered what was happening at the spot where the drop had fallen. It is an uncanny phenomenon that stirs up fear and confusion at every turn.

“Aa, My goodness……it’s finally here.”

“Neimilia……?”

Normally, Neimilia is a cheerful person who makes obscene jokes without reading the air.

Her neat face is stained with intense fear, and his shoulders are shaking slightly.

“What shall we do, master? It seems that……my sisters are coming back.”

“Sister……Do you mean the Six Witches of Doom?”

Raidorl grabbed Neimilia by both shoulders and asked her in a strong tone. She nodded her head and turned her pale face towards the night sky.

“The resurrection of the Doomsday Witch…… is the end of the world. It is the beginning of the apocalyptic war……!”

“……..!!”

Raidorl gasps at these words. The words of the Empire’s emperor replayed in his mind.

“It’s not the first time a witch has wreaked havoc in the past three hundred years. It has happened many times in a regular cycle.”

The Dáinsleif of the Kingdom of Zain. The three holy swords in the empire – all of which together define the person who is to be their holder are the sign of the witch’s revival is about to begin.

The emperor Zacharias said something like that.

“I never thought that….would really be the end of the world. No, I already know that the……legend is not a deception.”

Raidorl stroked the hilt of the holy sword at his waist.

The Dáinsleif makes a ticking sound and lets out a slight miasma.

Apparently, the holy sword is also aware of the return of its nemesis and is belligerently snapping its fangs.

“Your Highness, Raidorl! Are you alright?”

Footsteps echoed down the corridor and Darren Garst burst into the room.

“An earthquake has just hit the castle…….”

“I know, I know. You don’t have to tell me.”

Raidorl turned his body quickly.

The resurgence of witchcraft is a concern, but…… now, as a ruler, he must do what needs to be done.

“We’re going to rescue our subjects! Dig up the pile of rubble and save the buried citizens! The royal palace will be opened to accommodate the injured. Immediately mobilise all knights and get to work!”

“Ha! We will move immediately to rescue them!”

“Neimilia, send your servants to warn the enemy!　Witches and demons alike, are not welcome to this Kingdom!”

“I understand! It’s all for the sake of my master!”

At the command of his lord, Darren runs down the corridor.

Raidorl follows at his back, and Neymilia follows him.

“Whether it’s a legendary witch or the end of the world……I’m not going to let you do whatever you want!”

Raidorl grits his teeth and burns with the will to fight an enemy he has not yet seen.

“I’ll never let anyone, human, demon, or god, touch this kingdom that I took from my brother……and that my father and mother loved! I will not let anyone take anything that is in my hands away from me again…..!”

With a determined heart, Raidorl set out into the night and sees what remains of the city. 

When he arrived, Screams,shouts and groans of the wounded were everywhere, here Raidorl has to do his duty as……ruler.

〇　　　　　　　　〇　　　　　　　　〇

That night. An earthquake that split the earth and turned the surface of the earth upside down struck the western part of the continent.

Towns and cities were destroyed. Buildings collapsed, walls crumbled, and overnight the human landscape was transformed.

It is not only human settlements that have been hit by the disaster.

Cracks appeared all over the plains, dormant volcanoes spewed out scorching lava, and tsunamis broke out in the coastal areas.

It is a witch’s calamity that has occurred after three hundred years – the “Resurrection of the Witches”.

It was the beginning of the end of the world called “The Great Calamity”.