CH 141

Puck!

All the candles in the room went out at once.

The magic stone lights flickered just like light bulbs with the current cut off.

The sky turned black with trembling clouds, as if darkness had swallowed it up.

Realizing that what covered the sky were the ‘giant wings’ of something…

People were shocked and had no choice but to scream.

The captain of the imperial guards whispered in horror.

“Barbatus dragon.”

A second-class monster species, the ‘Barbatus Dragon’.

“Ah, watch for the heat! Wizards strengthen the palace’s shield!”

Kiyeeeeek!

At that time, a huge dragon flying in the sky pierced the shield at once as if shooting in, and entered the Imperial Palace

In the blink of an eye.

Barbatus, also known as the ‘red monster,’ appeared, filling the collapsed banquet hall.

The nobility were stunned and held their breath at its loud breaths.

Large yellow eyes and vertically torn black pupils eerily looked at the humans.

Red armour covering the whole body. A black nucleus embedded in its forehead.

The grotesquely twisted claws were like the anchors of a sailing ship made of cast iron.

The imperial guards formed perfect defensive ranks. It was followed by the imperial wizard corps.

“…Why… is such a monster here…”

Barbatus dragons usually slept in deep mountain caves in the western continent, and were beings who avoided humans.

So it was bizarre for one to suddenly appear in the sky of Aktoum and attack people.

The guard reported to the captain.

“I didn’t even feel it coming…!”

No way.

Wasn’t the magic radar tool always detecting changes in the sky in case something like this happened?

But now was not the time to ponder. Then, a voice like thunder came from the balcony.

It belonged to Rixus, who was holding his wife in his arms.

“What are you doing? Evacuate the people right away!”

“Yes! Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

Upon receiving that order, the captain of the guards sprang into action.

“Evacuate the people!”

The guards quickly ran to the nobles.

For a moment, a huge shadow fell over a guard’s head, and the anchor-like claws pierced his body and crushed him.

Quang—!

The earth’s axis shook, and everybody lost their balance and stumbled.

“Ahhhhhh!”

When a person was crushed in front of him, a young lord shouted in terror.

The dragon’s yellow eyes and mouth widened when it saw the exit crowded with nobles.

Kiyeeeeek!

As black flames poured out of its mouth, the exit collapsed under the powerful dragonbreath.

The nobleman who brushed against the black flames screamed in a desperate dance.

The guardsman shouted loudly.

“Everyone, attack!”

The various soldiers fired arrows and started throwing spears.

Woo woo—

Subsequently, the attack magic of the wizards was poured indiscriminately.

The barbatus dragon, who had been dazed by the attacks, briefly left the banquet hall, flapping its wings vigorously and flying away.

“Berylia, are you okay? Can you stand up?”

Taking advantage of that gap, Rixus supported Berylia, who looked confused.

“……I’m okay.”

“I’ll take you out now, let’s go.”

Suddenly, the bright yellow eyes of the barbatus dragon filled the window of the banquet hall.

Berylia said, looking at the red monster the size of a house.

“What about the others? If we evacuate like this…”

“There are wizards here, they can protect them.”

At that time, the barbatus dragon, which evaded the attack and spewed out flames through the window, landed in the banquet hall again.

“Magic Division, total attack!”

But that was for a while.

Kwa-ang!

The Barbatus dragon flapped its wings, emitting a huge shock wave.

Then something unimaginable happened.

In an instant, the magic stone lights lost their glow and turned off all at once.

Thump, thump—

The wizards lost their minds and fell to their feet like a pile of straws.

The face of the captain of the guard and the faces of the nobles were filled with deep despair and screams.

“…The magical powers are being neutralised. That’s not something a second-class monster can do…”

The reason why the barbatus dragon was not detected by the magic radar. The reason it was able to break through the shield at once,

When he realised all that, even the experienced captain had no choice but to panic.

Without the support of the wizards, the swords and shields of the guards wouldn’t even be able to scratch the red scales.

“Now, that’s wrong…”

It was then.

Barbatus opened its mouth wide open towards Berylia.

‘Oh, I’m going to die.’

Just as Berylia predicted her death, Rixus drew his sword; it unleashed a purple aura as it passed her eyes in almost slow-motion detail.

The purple aura ran wildly like sparks from the sword.

As he drew a circle in the air with his sword, the purple aura gathered like a shield.

Kiyeeeeek!

“!”

Black flames collided with the purple shield.

With Berylia behind him, Rixus kept the flames at bay with his whole body.

His black hair and uniform fluttered madly.

Biting his lips, he exclaimed.

“Berylia, when the flames stop, run as fast as you can to the statue! There is an emergency staircase.”

* * *

“I’m going to kill that crazy monster right now. It’s attacking her!”

Johann grinned his teeth and stepped forward.

Then, the crow, which appeared secretly through the darkness, whispered, just loud enough for Johann to hear. 

[No! That monster is our subordinate! It’s an important resource!]

“Damn it! What kind of subordinate comes and makes a mess without being called?”

Toulouse sat by the broken statue and looked at him with all three heads.

[It’s because your power has gotten stronger! It came as if it was being led. It also means that the Hell of demons, ‘Marsephone’s Gate’ is slowly being revealed to the world…!]

Hell of demons, ‘Marsephone.’

It was the hell where Toulouse was rejected and imprisoned by the demons.

A place where the worst monsters among demons gather.

Toulouse was transferring his power to this world through Johann…

As that power grew stronger, the ‘door leading to Marsephone’ finally revealed its presence, demonstrating its power to the world.

The ultimate goal of Johann and Toulouse was to open the door and summon demons to use them as their servants;

It was to unite the five continents and become the eternal emperor of this world.

When that time came, not only Marsephone’s demons, but also all the demons on this earth would be engulfed in madness.

Just like the current barbatus dragon.

[Originally, that monster doesn’t have the power to block magic, but it must have been Marsephone’s energy. It’s stronger than usual…!]

[I’m glad, I’m glad!]

Toulouse flapped its wings in joy that everything went according to plan.

[It’s proof that things are going well for us!]

But Johann was not happy.

“It’s going to destroy the Imperial Palace like this. Why doesn’t that monster listen to my orders?”

Johann tried to draw up the power of Toulouse flowing through his body, but for some reason the barbatus dragon did not reach his influence.

[Oh, you can’t…? Well, you haven’t fully inherited my power yet, have you?]

Toulouse frowned and rubbed its puzzled eyes.

[Anyway, enjoy! Because this is like a ‘taster’ for the festival that will take place on the day ‘The Gate of Marsephone’ opens.]

Just then, Barbatus widened its mouth and poured black flames on Berylia.

Johann cried hurriedly.

“Berylia!”

But it was Rixus who stood in front of her.

* * *

Whee— ook!

Even the last torch held by the guards was extinguished by the strong wind.

Only a shield covered with a purple aura glowed in the gloomy darkness.

Except for Rixus, whose power was not based on mana, there were few who could properly exert force here.

As soon as the long flame was over, Rixus put all his strength into a candlestick and threw it towards the emergency staircase.

It became a purple lighthouse in the dark waves.

“Berylia, over there!”

But I didn’t move, I stood still.

‘Am I going to avoid it alone?’

The exclamation of the captain of the guards sounded like a scream.

“Don’t back down! Protect the people! Don’t back down!”

The guards were prepared to die in front of the people and stopped them. They were trying to keep their duty until the moment of death.

As if ridiculing such struggles, large feet were hung over the heads of the panicked nobles.

It was then. When I spit out the starter of a spell.

《Niebe.》

Ice stretched out of my body, freezing one of the dragon’s feet that was the size of a house, and dug up to its knees. With the sound of cracking ice, its feet hit another place.

Koo-!

‘They are my people.’

Never once had I run away from my people.

I thought that was the monarch’s duty and lived. So even now, I would never run away.

As with any fate approaching me, I had to fight it.

Even if it resulted in death.

I stared at the wobbling Barbatus, then looked back at Rixus.

“Rixus, as you know, the core of the monster is in its forehead. Can you climb up there and cut it?”

“If there are stairs to step on. And if its movement is a little slow.”

Even though I didn’t explain it in detail, Rixus quickly recognized my heart and respected my decision.

Despite him being the man who wanted to keep me safe more than anyone else.

“Now.”

I gave him a signal and placed powers all over the dragon’s body.

Puk!

At the same time, Rixus ran towards the giant monster with outstanding speed.

My platinum hair fluttered wildly in the air, and my body was engulfed in a radiant and cold energy.

That moment when that energy was maximally strong.

《Magnus.》

Huge ice came out of the ground together with the spell starter and sprinted furiously after Rixus.

And it overtook him.

The body of Barbatus, who was trying to target Rixus, his whole body wrapped in chains.

Rumble—

Under the moonlight, the beautifully gleaming ice quickly gathered to create a staircase that reached the monster’s waist.

Immediately, Rixus stepped on the stairs, leapt in an instant, and flew into the air.

Chiiiiiik– chak!

The long purple sword flew wildly as if it could cut through the entire body of the monster.

A steely, eerie glare flickered from Rixus’ eyes.

“!”

The moment Barbatus twisted its body, Rixus’s sword came down, striking the monster’s body.

Bang!

The ground shook at the impact of the sword hitting the floor.

Kiyeeek!

Everyone held their breaths, looking at the scene.

After a while, slowly, very slowly, the cut section of the monster began to unfold.

“…did it.”

I didn’t know who said it first.

Barbatus’ massive body, which seemed about to burn everyone down, was torn in two and fell to the floor.

The people, who were terrified, wept and embraced each other.

In the ruined banquet hall, people shouted loudly.

The crown prince who protected them to the end, and the name of the odd-eye queen from the enemy country— No.

The name of their brave crown princess.