Side Story Chapter 100

Side Story Chapter 100

The arena was gripped by a suffocating silence. The death of Uriel, one of the Four Paladins, was such an extraordinary event that many who saw it were stunned.

“Sir Uriel... was killed without even putting up a fight?”

The paladins from the Hubalt Empire were the most shaken.

‘...This is dangerous,’ Joshua thought. In contrast to how calm he looked, Joshua wasn’t in good shape; he was currently like a tall levee with a small hole. At first, the leakage would be so miniscule that no one had to worry about it, but the hole was only going to get bigger. Eventually, the levee would be completely submerged. That was the state of the vessel that Joshua was using to store his soul in.

‘There are too many people here. If I take his body, then I’ll be treated like a Demon King.’

Perhaps because Joshua had embraced the Demon Spirit’s soul for many years, he couldn’t help himself from thinking of himself as the Demon Spirit in regards to how he continued to change his vessel, as silly as it was. However, he couldn’t waste any further time on such idle thoughts—he only had a moment to take the body after Uriel’s soul had completely exited it. If Joshua missed the opportunity, he was going to have to give up finding a new body forever.

Joshua pulled out his hand of Uriel, allowing the corpse to collapse limply to the ground. Even then, Joshua’s brain was hard at work. What was the quickest way to stop these people from watching him?

“What are you doing?! Your superior was killed in action, so how long are you going to do nothing?” a paladin, presumably one of the higher-ranked ones, roared.

Joshua couldn’t suppress his sigh. Despite demonstrating overwhelming power to prevent the fight from dragging on any longer than necessary, it looked like the enemy had no intention of backing down.

A man with fiery red hair quietly stepped in front of Joshua. “Why don’t you go ahead to the Inner Palace now, Martial God?”n(.OVeLb1n

Joshua tilted his head in confusion. “Flame Emperor?”

“We, Thran, and the other half of the Avalon Imperial Knights will take care of the rest. Ah, I’m sure Her Majesty Iceline will help us from up there.”

Joshua glanced up. Iceline locked eyes with Joshua and smiled. Although she may be very cold to outsiders, she treated her family much differently. A smile bloomed on Joshua’s face in return.

“Is there anything else you want from me?” Joshua asked.

“Please continue to be yourself forever. That is enough.”

Joshua quietly nodded. He didn’t know Ulabis’s exact intentions, but he was certain that Ulabis wasn’t the kind of calculating person who was always chasing the most profitable outcome. Doubting Ulabis any further would be disrespectful.

“Knights of the Tetra Kingdom, gather your auras! Since the paladins can’t use their divine power right now, we will take the vanguard!”

“Ohhhhhhhh!”

Ulabis jerked his thumb at the Palace as the mage knights’ battle cry washed over them.

“Go ahead. Leave the small fries to us now.”

Joshua bowed slightly to Ulabis and then darted away. Of course, Joshua didn’t forget to take Uriel’s body.

“I’ll be taking him. He dared to draw a sword in the heart of my Avalon, so I’ll behead the criminal myself and hang his head from the castle walls.”

The paladins were appalled.

“Th-The Martial God is trying to defile Sir Uriel! Get him!”

* * *

“His Majesty has given his order! Stop them! Stop them with your lives!”

“Break through their defense! Don’t let the demon worshipers of Avalon slow you down!”

“Who are you calling demon worshipers?!”

The sound of weapons clashing bounced up and down the long hallway leading to the council chamber in the Palace. An intense, bloody battle clogged the hallway. Piles of corpses were scattered here and there, their blood turning the passageway into a river.

Selim arrived at the opposite end of the hallway.

“...You know who we are; are you still going to stop us?” Raphael asked.

“Then let me ask you this: do you know who we are?”

Raphael frowned. The old man who’d kept his silence bugged Raphael more than the middle-aged man who was talking. One of the old man’s hands held a sabre, but he kept his other hand behind his back, just like...

“W-Wait, the Sword Emperor?”

The other Paladin’s eyes popped wide open.

Duke Tremblin, the Sword Emperor, was a great and renowned figure from the last generation and one of the previous Nine Stars. He was known to have vanished not long after the Emperor of Avalon’s disappearance.

“I’m sad. You’re talking to me, so why are you paying more attention to him?”

“What the hell—everyone, gather all of your divine power!”

“...I’m so sad.” The middle-aged man quietly smacked his lips. “I know you don’t really care, but let me finish introducing myself. My name is Valmont dun Brown.”

“Valmont dun Brown...?” Raphael didn’t seem to recognize the name. No, he didn’t hear any of Valmont’s introduction; he was too shocked by the discovery that the Sword Emperor was there. The man was already over one hundred years old. Even though mana slowed the aging process, how was this possible? Besides, his energy was as powerful as any Absolute.

“Oh my goodness...” Down the hallway, Selim was staring dumbly as well.

Cain approached, Kireua on his back. “That is why I told you that the Palace is guarded by people that even I can’t take lightly.”

“...I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“Forget about how Duke Tremblin was missing until now, but Sir Valmont was the most promising candidate for the next Knight-Commander of the Imperial Knights while the Britten Family was in power. Am I wrong?” Selim asked.

Cain grinned. “You know your history quite well.”

“I’ve studied both the recorded and secret history of the Palace; I thought it might be related to His Majesty’s disappearance.”

“I see.”

“Since when did Sir Valmont swear loyalty to His Majesty?”

“Well...” Cain paused, his smile growing. “Would you believe me if I told you that he always did?”

“...Always?”

“Valmont dun Brown was the genius of the previous generation, but he was born lazy. While he was idling his life away, he met a more outstanding genius than me in the same generation as him.”

“...Are you talking about His Majesty?”

Cain nodded. “Yes, and he lost to His Majesty. Despite his defeat, he cultivated himself and challenged His Majesty again months later. Even when Valmont lost, he still continued to cultivate his sword techniques. His Majesty never turned down Valmont’s challenges, and their spars continued for several years.”

Selim didn’t have to hear the rest of the story. Valmont dun Brown had marveled at the Emperor of Avalon’s skills and became his sword in the shadows. As he was practically a remnant of the previous monarchy, it would seem that that was the only way for him to help the new government.

“His Majesty... truly has many people of talent under his wings,” Selim murmured.

“So do you, Your Highness.”

“Pardon?”

“You have your Black Knights, don’t you?”

Selim smiled. By now, the Black Knights must be faithfully carrying out his orders. The thought of them was quite reassuring—like the Emperor of Avalon must feel about the two remarkable men he kept as his knights.

“I’ll have to try harder.” Selim slowly strode forward, his spear in hand. He wasn’t going to lose to either the Emperor of Avalon or those thugs who’d trespassed in the Palace.

Selim sprang forward, ripping through the air.