Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Conrad Kingdom’s royal palace. In the central training grounds located underground, the knights were assembled.

“Demons, all of a sudden?”

Silvas, the captain of the royal knights of Conrad Kingdom, emerged, donning his gear. Behind him, the knights lined up, ready to defend the royal palace.

“The numbers haven’t been ascertained yet. Their identities remain ambiguous...”

“Ambiguous? What do you mean?”

“We haven’t confirmed any definite shapes or numbers.”

“Are you kidding me?”

Demons had appeared in the heart of the capital, near the royal palace, yet they couldn’t even determine their numbers or shapes. It was maddeningly frustrating.

“I apologize!”

“First, find out their objective. Gather detailed intelligence on their forces! And...”

Silvas clenched his hand, hesitating before he continued.

“Where is Lady Viola?”

At Silvas’s question, the vice-captain, Bron, had an incredulous expression.

“Are you suggesting that Lady Viola—”

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Silvas interrupted, shaking his head.

“But if demons have really appeared in the kingdom, then the legend might be true as well. It has to be.”

“...Yes.”

Bron nodded and quickly issued orders to the knights.

“You heard him! From now on, each squad splits up based on their roles! The central knights will request cooperation from the temple and prepare for demon hunting!”

“Understood!”

“Stop talking and start moving!”

The knights’ steps quickened. Silvas watched the knights leave and found himself alone.

“Demons...”

He knew such beings existed. God and demons definitely existed and might even be nearby. But no demons had appeared in the history of Conrad Kingdom for the past few hundred years.

Their existence was merely passed down through pictures and stories. And now.

‘Why now, of all times?’

Was it the end of the kingdom?

Or, unlike the legends, was it just a passing storm?

Silvas didn’t have the answer. For hundreds of years. One knight, rooted in this kingdom like a legend, had safeguarded the kingdom.

“...Lady Viola.”

Perhaps he had the answers.

Creak-.

Just then, a door on the floor suddenly opened.

“Are you looking for me?”

“What?”

Silvas widened his eyes in surprise. A woman with such beautiful blonde hair that one could never forget once seen. The very person they had been searching for stood before him.

“Sir, Lady Viola?”

“Yes, sir Silvas.”

“How are you here... No, more importantly, what about this passage...”

Silvas’s gaze then shifted to Suhyuk and Vigo, who had followed behind Viola. He recognized Vigo, having seen him a few times. He knew Vigo was a close associate of Viola and a highly skilled knight.

But.

“Who is this man?”

A man in strange attire whose identity he did not know. Viola’s sudden appearance raised many questions.

How she had appeared here, what that passage was, and who this mysterious man was. But there was no time to explain everything.

“The demons are already inside the castle.”

“What?”

“Gather the knights. We must reclaim the throne.”

Silvas thought back to the recent situation.

“The knights are currently moving out to deal with the demons outside.”

“The demons’ goal is the vacant throne of the kingdom.”

“Why would they be after the throne?”

“Because it came from Asgard.”

Silvas’s eyes changed at that answer.

“As expected, Lady Viola, you are...”

“I apologize for the deception.”

Fwoosh-.

A pure white aura emitted from Viola’s entire body. As the Valkyrie’s power was revealed, silvas’s eyes widened, and he knelt.

“I bow to the messenger of the gods.”

Leaping over several ceilings, Viola and Suhyuk arrived at the temple where the throne was located.

Thud-.

But arriving didn’t mean it was over.

“...Of course.”

Viola looked despondent, as if she had expected this.

Flame-.

The gigantic temple, spanning thousands of square meters, was ablaze. The high throne was surrounded by flames hotter than lava, and within the blazing inferno, the silhouettes of dozens of demons glowed menacingly.

“Just a Valkyrie and a human, is it?”

“The human is slightly interesting. He possesses the power of lightning.”

“Why a human?”

“We’ll soon find out. First, let’s tear them limb from limb and ask questions later.”

The giants’ vicious conversation made Viola grimace in disgust. The demons below were nothing. The fearsome sight of the demons surrounding the temple made it hard for her to breathe.

Though she had held onto even a sliver of hope, there was no such thing in this battle from the start.

“Viola.”

Clink-.

Vigo pointed his spear forward. His spear trembled.

“It’s been an honor fighting alongside you.”

Forcing a smile, Vigo continued.

“I had hoped to have a more valiant farewell, but...”

“Vigo.”

“I’m sorry for what happened with Belveim. I showed such a pathetic side.”

The fearful aura of a warrior prepared to die flowed from him. With the determination to take at least one demon with him, Vigo braced himself to perform the impossible.

But.

Just as he was about to move.

“Don’t act so foolish.”

Grab-.

Thud-.

Suddenly, his collar was grabbed, and Vigo fell backward awkwardly.

“Ugh-.”

“Stay put.”

“What are you doing?”

“I need to check something.”

Suhyuk’s gaze turned to the throne engulfed in flames.

“...There’s something I need to do there.”

The flames around the throne were so intense that the throne itself was barely visible. Approaching it seemed nearly impossible.

Step-.

However, Suhyuk leisurely began to walk toward the throne.

“If you go alone, it’s dan—”

“Do not follow.”

Without looking back, Suhyuk repeated to Viola and Vigo.

“I need to check something.”

It was the same statement again. His calm voice was somehow reassuring. Viola and Vigo watched in a daze as he walked into the flames and the demons. His figure walking into the inferno seemed anything but suicidal.

It was an unreal sight.

Maybe.

Perhaps he had found a way.

Flame-.

Suhyuk’s form disappeared into the flames. Demon silhouettes, wielding swords and hammers, could be seen aiming at him.

“Suhyuk!”

But despite Viola’s shout, the flames roared even fiercer, completely consuming Suhyuk.

Whoosh-!

“Ah...”

A sigh escaped Viola’s lips. It felt like waking from a hopeful dream back into harsh reality. The small glimmer of hope vanished. The flames had completely devoured Suhyuk, and he was gone without a trace.

All that was left was to wait for the flames to consume them as well. But then.

“Viola!”

An astonished Vigo pointed somewhere with his finger.

“L-look, the throne!”

“The throne?”

Viola’s gaze followed Vigo’s finger. Within the fierce flames. A faint, wavering silhouette could be seen. At the highest point of the temple, on Asgard’s cherished treasure that no one had ever been able to sit on.

Amidst the raging red flames, someone was sitting on the Thunder Throne.

TL’s Corner:

Hell yeah, the king has returned. Or maybe arrived?